


A Man and His Wolf

by zaynedere



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Getting Together, Homophobic Language, M/M, Memory Loss, Motorcycles, Scarring, Slurs, Swearing, This sounds like Twilight kill me, Werewolf Shiro, Werewolves, loss of family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-08-22 14:23:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8288849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zaynedere/pseuds/zaynedere
Summary: “Ah, I can explain?”Keith frowned, swallowing audibly. “Explain what?! How the hell did you get in my house? What-What did you do with the wolf?”The man chuckled nervously. “Well, uhm, I am the wolf?”





	1. Mister Wolf Man

**Author's Note:**

> Small-ish thing that I typed up?? I hope you guys enjoy it! 
> 
> Not beta'd

Keith missed the desert, and the little desert home that he’d made himself. Quaint neighborhood, polite neighbors, and best of all, it barely  _ ever  _ got cold. The worst it had ever gotten was  _ maybe _ fifty degrees,  _ including _ wind chill. In his new home, he was  _ lucky  _ if it got past fifty degrees in the fall. Washington was  _ cold,  _ and  _ wet,  _ and he frequently told the weather to fuck off. 

 

He’d moved north after a social worker came to his door asking where his parents were. He had almost been eighteen at the time, just a few months out, but going back to foster care encouraged him enough to leave his desert life behind, travelling to the northern corner of Washington on his favored motorcycle, packed with all of his cash and his few belongings. Keith found some house twenty minutes out of town in the forest on craigslist, a newer one story home that held two bedrooms, a decently sized kitchen, and a livingroom with the prettiest fireplace. 

 

It’s been two years since he arrived, and if he put off the cold just enough, he could say that he actually liked it there. The townspeople were friendly, and though their college was small, it was more than enough for Keith. He had a town at the local supermarket, which meant he got crazy discounts on food and necessities, which helped him put extra money towards college and savings. Keith was finally back on his feet, leaving his foster days behind him and enjoying the life he has now. 

 

The only  _ other  _ thing about this town was the saddening lack of gay men. Yes, Keith was in fact gay, and like most people, he held that small craving for a relationship. The girls were pretty, and they often flirted with him while he was putting the produce away, and while he didn’t mind, it made him feel lonely. It’s easy to push those feelings down though when he’s got to make sure that the old lady he was currently helping was able to get her groceries in her car. Keith was a fucking  _ sucker _ for old ladies, they were too nice for him, and his usually emo demeanor is instantly shot down every time he’s asked to help bring out the groceries. This particular woman happened to shop every Sunday evening, during Keith’s shift, usually purchasing microwave dinners for her and her husband and a few kinds of softer fruits and breads. She was an absolute delight to talk to, and Keith looked forward to helping her at the end of his Sunday shifts. 

 

Once he was finished and waving to her as she left the parking lot, he jogged back inside and completed a few more menial tasks; sweeping near the produce, helping one of the newer baggers, then  _ finally  _ clocking out and picking up some groceries for himself. Water bottles, strawberries, and even some steaks because even  _ he  _ had to treat himself sometimes. After paying, he waved a goodbye to his co-workers before hopping on his beloved bike and riding home, loving the feeling of the colder wind in his too-long hair. He needed to get that cut soon; he should probably write that down when he got home. 

 

Speaking of home, he was pulling into his longer driveway right at that moment. He recently got it paved, and it looked rather pretty with all of the trees and shrubs that still decorated the sides of the path. Even wildlife tended to relax in the area, and Keith made sure to drive a little slower just so he didn’t accidentally hurt one of the critters. Though as he pulled up to his garage, he saw something not so little out of the corner of his eyes and frowned; it _better_ not be one of those damn high schoolers again, He knew every one of their mothers and wouldn’t hesitate to rat them out again. He climbed off his bike with a grumble, pulling out his phone and turning on the flashlight as it was starting to grow dark. 

 

Boots thudding into the dense foliage, Keith shouted out, frowning. “Jesus christ you guys! How fucking bored do you have to be to mess with my house?” He caught movement out of the corner of his eye again, seeing something dart behind a nearby tree. Keith scoffed, smirking and dashing to the tree and looking around it. A ‘gotcha’ died on his lips though, as his flashlight showed him something that  _ definitely  _ wasn’t a teenage boy with a talkative mother. A tall dog, no,  _ wolf  _ was staring back at him, growling. 

 

This thing was  _ huge _ , the wolf must be taller than him by four inches at  _ least _ , and the scar that ran across the beast’s face made it more intimidating. Keith had  _ never  _ heard of a wolf growing that large and gulped audibly, eyes wide with fear. He took a step back and the wolf growled louder, and despite his brain yelling at him to  _ run, _ he cleared his throat, holding his free hand out. “Shh shh shh. I-I’m not gonna hurt you, it’s alright,” he murmured, finding it quite odd the the wolf actually  _ stopped  _ growling. “Just, uhm, go home. Shoo. Bye bye?” He waved his hand and took another step back, but apparently ‘go home’ wasn’t something the wolf understood, and the scarred creature just took a step forward, cautious but also curious. 

 

Keith sighed, turning around and starting to walk back home, frequently looking behind him to confirm that yes, a giant wolf was following him home. He sighed loudly, unsure if he was really up for dealing with this tonight. Yeah, his life was relatively peaceful, but he wanted it to  _ stay  _ that way. A giant wolf would definitely not help with that. 

 

He went back into his garage, retrieving his groceries. Keith looked behind him, and confirmed that yes, that dog looked very interested in coming inside. He ignored the wolf and closed the garage, heading inside and deciding that he could ignore the wolf and cook himself some good ol’ steak. He did just that, humming along to some pop song on the old radio in the corner of the kitchen and forgetting about the thing outside. He walked into the living room with a glass of wine because he could, sitting on his worn couch and glancing out the window, greeted by some  _ very  _ large puppy eyes. 

 

Keith tried to ignore those eyes, oh did he  _ try,  _ but after a fifth glance he caved, opening up his front door to the giant fucking wolf and beckoning him inside. “C’mon, I know you want my steak. C’mon,” He cooed a bit, smiling as he got a tail wag and a huge dog waltzing into his house, following the smell of Keith’s steak into the living room and almost getting it before the human snatched it up with a frown. “Nope, you don’t get the  _ whole thing.  _ There’s this thing called  _ sharing,”  _ He spoke, sitting down and watching the wolf lay down in front of him, big wolfy head making itself comfy on Keith’s lap. Now that he could actually  _ see,  _ he observed the wolf’s features.

 

He, at least he assumed was a he, was a tawny brown along his back and sides, and a lighter brown gracing his muzzle and the center of his neck, and Keith was sure the lighter color decorated his underbelly as well. A tail wag and more puppy eyes brought him out of his studying and Keith laughed softly, feeding the wolf a piece of steak. He took a bite as well, smiling fondly at the taste. He was a  _ damn  _ good cook, if he didn’t say so himself. The wolf seemed to like it as well, ears perking up and snout wiggling towards the plate. The oversized dog received another piece of steak, and they continued the back and forth eating until the food was gone. The wolf whined at the lack of food, licking the offered plate while Keith chuckled quietly. 

 

“Okay, get off me now, I’ve got to go do dishes,” The wolf huffed and got off, flopping on his wooden living room floor taking up the majority of the walking space. Keith grabbed his wine glass and sipped it as he walked around the wolf, confirming that it was a boy with a glance. He washed off his dish and finished off his glass of purplish wine, washing that cup too before stretching and walking into the living room with a sigh. He  _ supposed  _ that the creature can sleep on the floor in his room, seeing as the wolf was already standing and following Keith into the room.

 

Keith laid a fluffier blanket on the floor and got the dog to lay on it, then he stripped down to his boxers and turned off his bedroom light, flopping on his bed and climbing under his covers with a sigh. He closed his eyes and was on the edge of peaceful slumber when a very large, warm being flopped onto his king sized bed, a large wolf head flopping onto his chest. Keith huffed, eyes looking down at the heavy creature. “You’re  _ so  _ lucky that I’m tired, or else I’d kick you off. You  _ better not  _ have any bugs or something on you,” Keith grumbled, letting one of his hands comb through the thick yet soft fur on the wolf’s head, and quickly, he fell asleep, somewhat enjoying the weight on his chest.

 

When Keith woke, the weight was still there and he smiled, opening his eyes and mouth to greet the wolf, but instead found a  _ man  _ snuggled up on his chest. A very large, a very muscled, a very  _ naked _ , man. 

 

_ What the fuck. _

 

Keith launched himself out from under the man and rolled onto the floor, scrambling to the other side of the room with a panicked yell. Did he lock his door last night? He was sure he did. And where was the wolf? Did he get like,  _ really _ drunk or something and hallucinate the whole thing? He shook his head, watching the man wake up. 

 

He didn’t look bad at all;  _ gorgeous _ muscles and short, soft looking hair that held a dash of white on the front; but right now wasn’t the time to be thinking with his dick. The man sat up and took in his surroundings. His gray eyes looked around the room and settled on Keith, then down at his naked crotch and back up at the other guy. Dark red flooded his face and he grabbed a hold of the blanket under him, covering himself the best he could. 

 

“Ah, I can explain?”

 

Keith frowned, swallowing audibly. “Explain  _ what?!  _ How the  _ hell  _ did you get in my house? What-What did you do with the wolf?”

 

The man chuckled nervously. “Well, uhm, I am the wolf?” 

 

He received a blank stare from Keith. “Okay. It’s  _ way  _ too early for dealing with your drugged up ass. Please, just, fuck-” He grabbed his biggest pair of sweatpants, throwing them at the man. “Just-Come into the kitchen when you’re dressed, I need some fucking  _ coffee.”  _ Keith threw on a burgundy shirt and walked out of the room, rubbing the leftover sleep in his eyes and brewing a pot of coffee with a scowl. 

 

He  _ really  _ didn’t need this so early in the morning. Keith quickly fashioned himself a cup of coffee; two scoops of sugar and a dash of sweet cream creamer. The man wandered into the kitchen, and Keith got an eyeful of his abs and  _ holy shit _ ; Keith  _ really  _ needed to keep eye contact before his gay ass got too interested in him. 

 

“So?” Keith asked. “Explain to me why I woke up to a naked man in my bed instead of the wolf I fed half of my precious steak to last night.”

 

“Well, like I said, I  _ am  _ that wolf. It's like, well…” He trailed off, rubbing at his  _ very _ nice jaw. “A werewolf.” Keith spit his coffee, hissing as the heat hit the front of his shirt.

 

“  _ Yeah,  _ okay, you’re high. Should I like, I don’t know, call an ambulance or something?” Keith looked at the other’s body again, scanning him for any possible wounds that he could be blamed for. All he saw were some old scars on his torso, but as his eyes settled on his right arm, he saw the abundance of scars. The scars ranged from long and thin, to almost  _ burn  _ scars.  _ What had this man been through?  _

 

He shook his head, laughing weakly. “No, I’m not lying. I know it’s hard to believe, and usually I would lie my way through it, but… I don’t exactly know where I am.”

 

Keith kept a steady frown on his face. “This is ridiculous. I’m… I’m calling the cops. I  _ cannot  _ deal with this right now.” He set down his mug and quickly walked to his room, grabbing his phone and getting as far as dialing ‘nine’ before a strong hand was on his arm, and when he looked up, the other man had a pleading look on his face that  _ definitely did not _ remind him of the wolf. Nope. 

 

“No, please,  _ please  _ don’t,” He begged. “I-I can tell you everything that happened last night, I remember it all.”

 

Keith was still  _ very  _ skeptical, who  _ wouldn’t  _ be honestly, for some damned reason he put down his phone with a heavy sigh. “Okay, mister  _ wolf man _ , explain yourself.”

 

The large hand let go of Keith’s arm, and the man’s pretty lips- _ Keith don’t think with your dick- _ parted and began to speak. “I-I was searching for something, I think, in front of your house. It might’ve been food, I don’t exactly remember. I ran into the forest after hearing you yell,” He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes distant as he recollected the night before. “I thought you were just going to ignore me, but I heard you walking around and I saw the flashlight. Obviously, I  _ really _ didn’t want you to see me, so when you did, I growled. Instinct thing. The whole ‘I’m not gonna hurt you’ helped me calm down. When-When you said to go home, I couldn’t, because… because there isn’t anywhere for me to go.”

 

Keith felt a little pang in his heart since he knew  _ exactly  _ how that felt, but he was able to move past that as he tried to come up with possible explanations while the man continued talking.

 

“I followed you back, and sat outside your house while you made food because it smelled  _ really  _ good, and after a bit you let me in and shared some of your steak. That was really good by the way, thank you,” The man’s voice was full of sincerity, and Keith thought he was going to be sick. “Then you laid that blanket down for me and got into bed… I guess I was lonely, I… I don’t know, but I got in bed with you… and yeah… Here we are…” 

 

Keith’s eyes were wide; that’s  _ exactly  _ what had happened,  _ holy fuck _ , a  _ werewolf was standing in front of him.  _ He sat on his bed, mouth opening and closing, mind  _ desperately  _ looking for some sort of other explanation, but none came. “ _ Holy shit, _ ” He whispered. “ _ This is for real. _ ” 

 

“Yeah,” The man spoke softly, sitting on the floor in front of Keith but still keeping a good distance. “My… My name’s Takashi… Shirogane?” His last name was drawn out, and more of a question than anything. “Where I was before… I… It left my memory fuzzy.”

 

Keith softened at the sad look on Takashi’s face, and he knew he was about to do something he was probably going to regret. “Well, Takashi, if what you’re saying is true then… I  _ suppose  _ you can stay here,” Keith shakes his head, hand rubbing at his chin. “I still have a hard time believing that you’re a  _ werewolf _ , but for now, I’m willing to look over it. Oh, you’re in Washington by the way.”

 

Takashi’s eyes lit up and it made Keith just bit happier with his decision. “Thank you so,  _ so  _ much. I promise I’ll help around the house and cook dinner-”

 

Keith laughed softly, shaking his head. “Dude, you’re acting like I just adopted a dog for you.” 

 

“Well, technically, you kind of did.”

 

Keith rolled his eyes, flopping back on his bed. “How old are you anyways?”

 

“Twenty four, I think.”

 

Keith sat up immediately, eyes narrowing in disbelief. “Oh my god, I  _ totally _ thought you were like, some thirty five year old guy.”

 

Takashi shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck nervously again. “How old are you? If I’m allowed to ask,” He added quickly.

 

“Nineteen,” Keith commented off handedly, already growing comfortable around the man. He stretched his arms up and stood, sighing. “Alright man, first order of business is to get you some clothes, because my clothes sure as  _ hell  _ aren’t gonna fit you.” Takashi nodded and stood, rubbing at his scarred arm. 

 

“That means we’re going into town?” There was a slightly anxious tone there, and Keith didn’t miss it.

 

“Well,  _ duh _ . Where else are your clothes gonna come from?”

 

Takashi looked down at his arm and shrugged, and it finally clicked in Keith.  _ He was insecure about his arm.  _ Keith frowned and looked around, then just took the sheet off of his bed, throwing it at his new friend. 

 

“Here, use this to cover up; it’s cold out anyways. Now get out, I need to get dressed.” He shooed Takashi out, getting dressed in black skinny jeans, tearing off his shirt in exchange for a dark blue vee neck. He slipped on his socks and boots with ease, tying his hair back into a ponytail then exiting the room. He suddenly felt overdressed standing next to Takashi, whom was only wearing sweatpants and a sheet. “Sorry, I don’t have any shoes for you. We’ll pick some up while we’re in town.”

 

Takashi nodded, following Keith out to the garage and getting into the small two door truck that sat next to Keith’s gorgeous red motorcycle. The younger hopped in and started up the truck, backing out and driving them off of the property. After a few minutes a silence, the man suddenly spoke. “Thank you, again,” Takashi blurted, eyes trained on the road. “I know that the werewolf thing doesn’t exactly make sense, and I’m  _ so- _ ” Keith interrupted him. 

 

“Hush, don’t keep thanking me. I’m… not really good with emotions and-and  _ feelings  _ and stuff… Oh. I never told you my name. It’s Keith, Keith Kogane.” Takashi nods, looking down at his lap.

 

“Okay, thanks, Keith.”

 

“What’d I tell you about thanking me?” Keith scolded. 

 

“Right, sorry,” And when Keith looked over, Takashi honestly looked like a kicked puppy. It was cute. 

 

Keith shifted softly in his seat as he drove, smiling softly. “Well, I  _ suppose  _ you can thank me, since you look like I just took your favorite piece of candy.”

 

Takashi spluttered. “Are you teasing me because I’m grateful for your help?”

 

Keith laughed, loud and genuine. “Maybe I am.” Takashi ended up joining in on the laughing moments later, and Keith decided that he liked his laugh. He definitely wanted to hear it more.

 

\----

 

They got to the clothing store relatively quickly, but in the fifteen minutes it took to get there, the sky went from kind of cloudy to pouring rain. Keith made sure that Takashi was completely covered by the blanket then the two raced out and into the store, dripping on the black mat just inside the door. The woman who owned the store, Marissa, glanced up from her spot at the counter, a polite welcome turning into a worried motherly rant. 

 

“Keith, hunny, what’re you doing here without a jacket? And who is this friend of yours?” He came around the counter with two towels, eying them up and down as she gave the two men a towel. She scoffed, frowning at Takashi’s lack of shoes. “And no shoes? In  _ this  _ weather?” She shook her head of long brown hair, taking the wet blanket away. “You two are  _ very  _ lucky I’m in a good mood, or I wouldda kicked you right out.”

 

She and Keith both knew that was a flat out lie, but that’s who Marissa was. She’s from the south, as was still obvious in her voice, and doted on Keith ever since he’d moved up to Washington. Her own son had passed away a few years back from a terminal illness, as Keith supposed that he was around the same age as her son since he seemed to fill a hole in her life. He didn’t mind; it was nice to be able to go somewhere for thanksgiving or christmas, and with her motherly love also came some free clothes here and there, which Keith  _ definitely _ didn’t mind, though always left at least half of the bill sitting in her cash register despite her arguments against it. 

 

Marissa was five foot four and skinny, with light wrinkles around her laughing lines. Her eyes were a really pretty green, flecks of gold in brown in them that made them seem so much more inviting. Whenever he was sick and didn’t know what to do, she forced her husband to stay at the counter while she came over with a bag of medicine and tea, caring to Keith like she would her own son. Those times, Keith  _ really  _ appreciated Marissa, and has on more than one occasion let the name  _ Mom  _ slip from his lips. 

 

Currently, Keith was trying to properly dry his hair, looking over at Takashi, who  _ definitely  _ looked uncomfortable without his arm covered. Without hesitating, Keith draped his towel over Takashi’s arm, standing in front of him a bit to give Marissa a hug. “It’s nice to see you too ‘Rissa,” He’d given her that nickname long ago, and it just stuck ever since. “This is Takashi, he’s, uhm…”  _ Shit _ , he didn’t think this through. He should’ve known that Marissa was going to ask  _ a lot  _ of questions. 

 

“Boyfriend,” Takashi answered. “I’m, his boyfriend.” Marissa let go of Keith and squealed, leaving the man to turn around and gawk at Takashi.

 

_ “We’re talking about this later, _ ” He mouthed, light hostility in his eyes. The other did seem apologetic though, rubbing the back of his neck as soon as he was assaulted with questions from Keith’s ‘ _ Mom _ ’. 

 

“Oh, this is exciting! Keith has  _ never  _ told me about you, and I’ve never seen you around here-you  _ must  _ be from out of town. Where are you from, Takashi? Out of state? Maybe even out of  _ country? _ Maybe that’s why Keith didn’t tell me, oh lordy.” She paused to take a breath, then again took in Takashi’s lack of clothing. “Oh! Let’s get you in some clothes. You’d look  _ wonderful  _ in navy.”

 

She beckoned the two to follow her, humming as she looked for something that would fit the other. The taller man looked down at Keith, biting his lower lip in thought. “Sorry,” He whispered. “It was spur of the moment.” 

 

Keith rolled his eyes, nudging Takashi. “I don’t really mind, I  _ am  _ gay after all, but now we have to make it look like we’re dating everytime we go into town.” Takashi paused as Keith whispered this, eyes widening. “What, never seen a gay guy before? We’re  _ everywhere _ , well, except for this town anyways.”

 

“Ah no, actually,” Takashi looked down, taking offered clothing from Marissa. “I’m gay too.” And with that, he was sent off into the changing room, Marissa nudging Keith and wrapping an around around him.

 

“You got a good one Keith,  _ very _ handsome. Too bad he’s gay and taken,” She giggled and winked, causing Keith to light up. 

 

“ _ ‘Rissa,  _ oh my god,” He whispered, but let a laugh loose as he stood next to her. 

 

After they’d calmed down, she hummed softly to herself, still holding onto Keith. “What happened to his clothes, by the way? I highly doubt that you’re dating a homeless man.”

 

Keith tensed; another thing he didn’t know how to explain. Though before he could open his mouth, his ‘boyfriend’ stepped out, wearing a navy, long sleeve shirt with black jeans, answering for him . 

 

“I took a plane from Japan to California, and from there to Seattle. Between California and Seattle, my luggage was lost, and when I got to Keith’s last night, we spilled wine on the clothes I was wearing, including my shoes.” Takashi just knew  _ exactly  _ what to say, and Keith wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, but  _ damn  _ he looked good in that outfit. “Hey  _ babe,” _ Takashi said, a hint of playfulness in his eyes. “How do I look?” 

 

Keith was back to blushing while Marissa giggled at his side. He spluttered out an answer, keeping his eyes away from Takashi’s  _ very  _ nice waist. “G-Great, you look great.” Takashi grinned, then went back into the dressing room, changing into something new. 

 

“ _ Japan, _ ” Marissa said softly, looking at Keith with a smile. “I  _ knew  _ something was up with you and Asian men.” Keith started, face keeping its red glow. 

 

“Wh-What-no-”

 

“Keith,  _ please,  _ I know you well. You were head over heels for that Chinese exchange student that left a few months ago.” She wasn’t wrong though. Keith had a tendency to lean towards his own heritage, even though he only knew that his mother was Japanese; he’d never known his father, much less his ethnicity. “Now, I’m going to make you two some hot coffee while we wait out this rain. Keith, help Takashi pick out some outfits. I trust that I taught you well.”

 

She disappeared upstairs after receiving a nod from Keith, who started looking through outfits for the older man. He  _ really  _ hoped the wolf man hadn’t heard any of that, then frowned; He had said that he had no home, but he just easily told Marissa where he was from. “Hey, Takashi,” Keith spoke quietly, lest the woman happened to hear him. “What the hell was that?”

 

A hum came from the changing room, as well as the rustling of some clothing. “Hm? What was what?”

 

Keith held back a scoff, reminding himself to control himself some more. “The whole Japan and lost luggage thing. I thought you didn’t have a home,” He spoke, but it sounded more like a question. 

 

There was silence for a moment. Then, “I remember that happening. I know that I came from Japan, and to California, but uhm, something happened between there,” He spoke quietly, almost sounding pained. “I don’t remember most of what happened, but I ended up here, so…” 

 

Keith shouldn’t believe him; he really shouldn’t. Trusting this stranger who was also apparently a wolf goes very much against his personal morals, but hearing such sadness in Takashi’s voice, the sort of  _ lost  _ tone it had, he couldn’t help himself. Tossing two gray long sleeve shirts and a pair of sweatpants over the top of the changing stall, he cleared his throat. “Well, alright. I  _ really _ shouldn’t be treating you so nicely, you know.” He could practically hear the deflating air around the other. “But, Marissa likes you, so I guess you can stay.”

 

A small, deep laugh came from the stall, and Keith smiled. It was a nice laugh. Keith then started to wonder about shoes, and asked Shiro for the specifics.  “Hey, do you know your shoe size?” It was silent for a moment before Keith huffed. “Seriously?” More silence. “Christ, just, stick your foot out, I’ll if I can guess.” Obediently, a pale foot was sticking out from the bottom of the stall, and Keith compared it to his own; Takashi was  _ definitely _ a few sizes bigger, so Keith ventured off into the small shoe section of the store, picking out some shoes that varied in larger sizes and clearing his throat. “Get dressed, then come out and try these shoes on.”

 

Moments later Takashi came out in one of the gray shirts and black jeans, and Keith had to hold back his gay thoughts because  _ damn, _ the shirt stuck to his muscles  _ just right _ . Keith instead handed him a pair of tennis shoes; those were too small. After another three sizes that didn’t fit were tested, the final pick was perfect. Not only did they fit right, the black leather boots matched Takashi’s outfit perfectly. 

 

Marissa came down with two steaming paper cups in her hands, and she grinned at the sight of the fully dressed man. “ _ That’s  _ more like it. Anyways, here’s your coffee; I made it how Keith likes it, so hopefully it’s sweet enough for you; the boy  _ hates _ sweet things.” She handed the men their coffee, and thank you being said in return from the two. “Now, the rain should let up enough soon so you two can head on home. I’ll swing by later tonight with some dinner,” Keith made a face, and Marissa flicked his forehead. “Hush up now. Anyways, I’ll bring some dinner by. Does steak and potatoes sound good?” Keith and Takashi nodded. 

 

“I don’t see why it’s  _ necessary, _ but that’s fine. Uhm,” He glanced at the others new clothes and boots, grabbing his wallet from his back pocket. “Wanna ring us up real quick?” The woman tsked, shaking her head. 

 

“Heavens’ no. You two get along now; Frank’s doctor is coming in soon and I don’t need her doting on you again, Keith.” Ah yes, Frank was Marissa’s war veteran husband, who had quite a faulty arm. Like Takashi’s it was scarred and burned, and caused him pain occasionally. His doctor  _ adored  _ Keith, and always tried to get a full check-up every time she sees him. 

 

“How is he, by the way?” Keith asked, sipping the coffee. “I haven’t seen him in awhile, has his arm been bad lately?”

 

Marissa nodded softly, sighing sadly. “Yeah. He’s been having trouble moving his fingers, and it hurts to lift even a fork. Lord, hopefully he’ll be okay.” Keith nods, bringing Marissa into a hug. 

 

“Alright. We’ll leave now, text me when you’re on your way yeah?” A nod is recieved, and Keith kissed her cheek softly, just like a son would his mother. He parted and had Takashi grab his clothes before walking to the door. 

 

“Love you!” Marissa called in a friendly tone, waving. “Drive safe!”

 

Keith felt a smile grace his face. “Love you too ‘Rissa. We will.” They left the shop and hurried into the truck, as rain was still falling, just not as intensely. Takashi put the clothes in his lap, taking a sip of his coffee then turning to Keith. 

 

“So, uhm, if you don’t mind me asking, who was that?” The man asked softly, Keith letting out a soft sigh. 

 

“She’s Marissa. I moved up here two years ago and when I couldn’t pay for a shirt, she helped me out, and eventually got me back on my feet. She… She had lost her son that year, and I guess, I don’t know, she saw him in me,” Keith cleared his throat, putting his coffee in the cupholder then looking behind him as he started the truck then backed out of the parking spot. “She’s like my mom, and honestly, it’s really, really nice. ‘Rissa invites me to Thanksgiving and Christmas at her house, and honestly I think it’s really sweet.”

 

Takashi nods along to this, looking out the windshield at the town. It obviously wasn’t very large; from where they currently were, he could see the high school (probably the only high school) which happened to be in session despite the students mulling around in the parking lot. Across from there was a small McDonald’s (those were everywhere, Takashi wasn’t at all surprised) and next to that seemed to be a bank. Behind them, there was a strip mall, two restaurants, and what he believed to be a grocery store. 

 

There was probably more, but Takashi stopped looking around once they started passing trees instead of buildings. Keith started talking again, eyes on the road. “So, mister wolf, are you gonna help clean up all the fur you left on my carpet? Because holy  _ shit,  _ I could probably make a blanket with what you left behind.”

  
Takashi laughed, nodding. “Yeah, I will, mister emo.” Keith scoffed. “What? Thought I missed the multitude of  _ My Chemical Romance  _ and  _ Green Day  _ cd’s?” Soon, the two were laughing as Keith drove them down the black road, rain pattering against the roof of the truck and against the ground. 


	2. Mister Scary Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith learns more about the hidden world, and they both meet some newcomers (who have found themselves on Shiro's shit list).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the love I've received for this fic!! I'm sorry that it took so long for me to update, school and such got in the way.

That night, Marissa indeed came over with dinner, delicious steak and mashed potatoes that the two men ate happily. There was only a few exchanged words before she left, murmuring about having to take care of her husband since he’s too  _ stubborn  _ to ask for help. Marissa kissed each of their forehead’s before she climbed into her older Ford truck, driving back into the city. The two finished up dinner and cleaned the dishes together before heading into the living room, as it was still a bit early for bed. 

 

There was a few moments of comfortable silence before Keith began speaking. “So, uh, the werewolf thing. I suppose that’s a real thing, huh?”

 

Takashi nods. “Yeah. It’s hard to explain the  _ actual  _ history behind it, but I can give you as much as I know,” He offered, and received a nod in return. “Well, uh, let’s see… Where to start.” He rubbed his now-scruffy chin, and Keith made a mental note to get some razors next time he went to work. “It started back when humans were in-between evolutions. I’m not exactly sure of the specifics from that specific time, but I know that we came around at the same time cavemen did. Most of the werewolves stayed in the colder and wetter areas, specifically forested areas.” Takashi leaned more into the couch, Keith leaning forward a bit as he listened to the history of the once fairy tale creatures. “Washington, Montana, and Northern Idaho are popular places for them in America, but there are some in each state, having evolved to live in that specific area. There are tons outside of America, too. Like I said, I know I’m from Japan, not sure which specific area though... Somewhere north. Russia has a  _ ton  _ of werewolves, but they rarely leave the country because their fur is so thick. France has a large group in the north, but most of Europe belongs to the Fae-”

 

“Fae? As in, Faries?” Keith interrupted, eyes widening a little. 

 

Takashi nods, shifting a bit. “Kind of. Fae are usually smaller in stature and weight, and stay  _ very  _ close to their natural element. There aren’t a lot in America anymore, due to the heavy pollution and stuff. There are some snow Fae in Canada, and some water Fae in California, but the rest reside outside of America.” He let Keith absorb this information before continuing. “Anyways, I’m surprised that there aren’t any other werewolves in this town. Usually the small towns are dominated by them.”

 

“How do you know there aren’t any here?” Keith asked, leaning forward some more and folding a leg under himself. 

 

Takashi chuckled softly, as if Keith should’ve already known. “Keith, if there were already wolves here, then they would’ve come right through your front door and started a fight.” Keith huffed softly at this information, biting his lower lip softly in thought. They fell into a comfortable silence again, and Keith found himself thinking about where Takashi came from, as well as he hurt his arm. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke. 

 

“Hey, Takashi?” The man looked at him with curious eyes, humming softly. “Do you remember how you hurt your arm or… or who hurt your arm?” He could see how the other tensed up, and almost regretted asking the question. Before he could take it back, though, Takashi was speaking softly, eyes lost in thought. 

 

“I… I don’t remember much. It’s all… Bits and pieces. I remember I was taken by this group of werewolves called the Galra… I… I was their prisoner.” Takashi’s face looked  _ haunted, pained  _ even as he awakened previously dormant memories. “After that I, I can’t remember much. I just know that my arm just  _ hurts  _ sometimes, and I-I-” Keith could tell that talking about this drove Takashi close to tears, so without thinking, the younger slid over to sit with Takashi and draw him into a hug. The man leaned into it, taking quiet yet deep breaths. 

 

“It’s okay, you aren’t there anymore,” Keith whispered, rubbing Takashi’s back in a comforting way. The elder’s head buried itself in Keith’s shoulder, and the younger couldn’t bring himself to care all that much. In fact, he kind of enjoyed it. He’d never really gotten to hug someone like this, growing up in the foster system made it hard to form bonds with others. The only person that Keith could consciously remember holding was Marissa, but that was after he left the system. 

 

After another few minutes, Keith cleared his throat, speaking softly. “Are you all good now?” Takashi shrugged, hesitantly moving away from the others embrace and rubbing his face. 

 

“For now, I suppose. Sorry- for all that. I just got, got so  _ anxious _ and-” Keith hushed him, bringing him back in for a hug.

 

“You might be a  _ total  _ stranger, but you don’t need to apologize for that. What happened to you wasn’t your fault, okay?” After another few minutes, Keith pulled away, smiling softly. “Now, let's get to bed.”

 

Takashi spluttered a little as they both stood. “What? Are we-we  _ sharing  _ a bed?”

 

Keith shrugged. “I mean, I don’t see anything wrong with it? My couch isn’t the most comfortable, and I don’t have a spare bed so…” Takashi nods, relaxing a bit and following the shorter into the bedroom. “ _ But,  _ if you’re a blanket hog, I  _ will _ kick you out.” That drew a laugh out of the wolf, who was in the midst of shedding his pants, leaving him in his shirt and boxers. Keith snuck a peek at what was tucked into those things and  _ damn,  _ he  _ really  _ needed to keep his eyes to himself before his gay thoughts flew south. 

 

Keith crawled into bed after flipping off the light, smiling softly as he felt the bed dip and heard a tiny sigh of relaxation. He’s always kind of dreamed of having some sleep next to him every night; the presence of someone next to him was comforting, and he honestly hoped that this wasn't a temporary thing. “Goodnight, Takashi,” Keith murmured.

 

“Night, Keith,” Was the murmured response, and soon, the two of them were drifting off to sleep. Some time in the middle of the night, Keith woke to murmurs and shifting. He raised his head, as he was now laying on his front, and squinted at the other who was sharing his bed. 

 

“Takashi?” He mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eye a bit before taking in the situation. Takashi’s eyebrows were pinched as if he were in pain, and a few mumbles came from him, sounding equally in pain. Keith sat up, folding his legs underneath himself and rubbing the other’s shoulder in an attempt to wake him up. “Takashi, wake up.”

 

The man flinched but didn’t wake, so Keith shook him a little more, combing back Takashi’s white forelock, feeling the sweat on his forehead. It seemed a little intimate to be doing this, but Keith didn’t dwell on it as the man jerked awake, gasping softly. 

 

He sat up abruptly, panting a bit and looking around the room. Keith bit his lip, gingerly rubbing the other's back. “Hey, you okay?”

 

Takashi relaxed a little as he saw Keith, nodding a little. “Yeah-Yeah, I’m fine…” He took a deep breath, and it was kinda obvious  that he  _ wasn’t  _ okay. “Sorry, did I wake you?” He asked softly, and Keith nods in reply, scooting closer.

 

“Yeah. But seriously, are you alright? Do you need something?” 

 

Takashi looked down, nervously playing with his fingers. “Uhm, actually, can you do one thing for me?” Keith nods. “I, I’ve had these nightmares before and- it helps if, its grounding to-”

 

Keith hushed him, shifting and bringing him into a hug. “I know,” He mumbled, smiling as Takashi leaned into the hug. He felt that they were actually dating for a moment, that Takashi wasn’t someone he’d just met. Keith didn’t think it was a bad thing at all; in fact, he drew comfort from this action as well. The bigger man sighed shakily and buried his face in Keith’s shoulder, hugging him back. 

 

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Keith absentmindedly playing with the shaved hair at the nape of the others neck. “You okay?” Keith asked in a whisper, not moving away at all. 

 

“I- yeah. I am. Can you just-”

 

“Yeah,” Keith said with a smile, practically reading the others mind. They separated, the elder laying back down, Keith shifting to lay with him. It really felt like they’d known each other longer than they actually have, and it kind of amazed Keith, but his thoughts were pushed away as he yawned and cuddled into Takashi. “Night, Takashi,” He mumbled. 

 

A strong arm wrapped around him, and it honestly made Keith feel rather safe. “Night Keith. Oh, and uh, you can call me Shiro,” The man said softly, and soon, the two fell back asleep, this time sleeping through the rest of the night uninterrupted. 

 

\----

 

Keith woke wrapped in an unfamiliar, but not unwelcome, warmth. As his mind started working, there were two large, muscled arms wrapped around him and there was a  _ very  _ firm chest beneath him. Opening his eyes, he realized that he was laying on Shiro, who was already awake and staring at the ceiling.

 

Keith shifted, gettting the other’s attention. “Oh, uh, good morning,” Shiro said softly, loosening his arms. Keith liked the feeling of being held, not that he would admit it, and missed the closeness that Shiro had loosened. He remained on the man’s chest, sighing softly and ready to go back to sleep. 

 

“Mornin’ Shiro,” He mumbled, comfortable. 

 

“Comfy?”

 

Keith hummed. “Very. You’re a good pillow, y’know?”

 

Shiro laughed, the sound vibrating his chest. “Good to know. Thanks for, y’know, laying with me. It’s probably troublesome for you and all…”

 

Keith sat up a little, shaking his head. “Shiro, I don’t mind comforting you; its just as nice for me as it is for you. Besides, you’re a great cuddler,” Keith said with a light blush, smiling at the blush he got in return. Takashi was  _ definitely  _ cute when he blushed. 

 

_ Wait.  _ Those are gay thoughts.  _ Get out of here gay thoughts.  _

 

He returned to snuggling Shiro’s incredibly muscled chest  sighing softly. “Just lemme sleep a little longer. I gotta go to the college later for a class that honestly I’d rather ignore,” He mumbled, pulling the blanket up a bit with another soft sigh. 

 

Shiro hums, thick hands rubbing lightly at the others back. “What’re you studying?”

 

“Stars,” Keith mumbled, because astronomy felt like too big of a word at the moment. Another hum came from Shiro, and before he knew it, Keith was falling asleep once again. 

 

\---- 

 

“ _ No _ , Shiro, you cannot come with me to school.”

 

The man mention whined like a goddamn puppy, pouting. “What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?”

 

“I don’t know?” Keith snapped, eyebrows furrowing. “You are a grown man, I’m sure you can figure something out.” 

 

“I just,” Shiro started, voice a little more serious but holding a nervous tone as well. “I don’t want to be alone.” If that didn’t pull at Keith’s heart strings, he didn’t know what would. He sighed. 

 

“Fine.  _ But, _ ” He started, watching as the other hurriedly pulled on his shoes and jacket. “You need to stay  _ quiet,  _ this is an actual class that I’m paying for, I can’t afford to fail.” Keith was already dressed, just about to leave in his truck when Shiro started acting like a puppy about to be left alone for the first time. Well, Keith supposed that he  _ was  _ a puppy being left alone for the first time. It felt weird to think that. 

 

Together, they walked out and into the truck, Keith sighing as they pulled onto the road. “Shiro? You’re gonna have to act like my boyfriend while we’re there. ‘Rissa tells everyone every _ thing _ . So uh, when I get there, everyone will probably already know.” Keith’s face was on fire, eyes trained on the road. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Shiro nod. 

 

“Do… Do you want to like, hold hands when we walk in or something? Just to, to make it look- convincing.” Keith nods, laughing softly.    
  


“You don’t need to sound so nervous. I don’t mind holding your hand, fuck, I  _ cuddled _ you last night. I’m no virgin,”  _ Yes he was.  _ Why the hell is Keith like this?

 

That comment caused Shiro to blush darkly, and Keith would’ve laughed if he didn’t feel so embarrassed. The rest of the ride was rather quiet as they drove along the wet road, more rain pattering against the windshield. As they pulled into the parking lot, which was rather empty for a Tuesday afternoon, Keith cleared his throat. 

 

“Alright. Just sit next to me, and stay quiet. Don’t get up or talk. We sit on benches and stuff, so if you really wanted I’m sure you could like, take a nap or something. But if you’re disruptive, so help me God I will kick you out  _ so  _ fast.” Despite the light scolding, Shiro looked as happy as ever. The dog-puppy gene or whatever really made itself prominent in the older man, who took his hand and was stuck to his side almost possessively. Maybe a little too close; Shiro wrapped an arm around Keith as they walked, eyes trained on a group of college students that looked rather new. You really get to know everyone in town when you work at one of the only grocery stores. 

 

“Shiro?” Keith mumbled, furrowing his brows. “What is it?”

 

“That group. Wolves,” Shiro huffed out, and Keith blinked, tucking himself closer into the other’s side. The group turned to them as they neared, some eyes narrowed and other widened with mischievous playfulness. He looked up at Shiro, who narrowed his eyes slightly and drew Keith closer as they walked even closer. As soon as they were side by side, a tall, tanned man stopped Shiro with a hand to his shoulder. 

 

“Hey there wolfy, didn’t know there were others around here,” He said in a smooth, slightly accented voice. The others around him frowned, one touching the intruders shoulder. A woman, with pearly white hair and even darker skin, and piercing blue eyes. 

 

“Lance,” She spoke softly, but firmly. “Back off.”

 

Lance, presumably, rolled his eyes and took his hand off of Shiro. “Sister, I’m just tryin’ to make a  _ friend _ ,” He eyed Keith then, and Shiro tucked him further into his side, eyes narrowing more. “And maybe get us a little  _ toy  _ in the process.”

 

Shiro was  _ ticked,  _ and it looked like the woman  _ really  _ didn’t want to fight, so Keith carefully led them away, shaking a little because  _ holy shit,  _ there was an  _ actual  _ werewolf pack in town, and didn’t see Keith as anymore than a toy. Once they were inside and the pack wasn’t watching them, Shiro pulled him into a hug, face buried in his hair. “I’m so sorry, Keith, I- I didn’t know that there were others here,” He whispered, and Keith swallowed, letting himself be absorbed in the hug.    
  


“They- I’ve never seen them before. They’re new,” He mumbled, pulling away for a second. “Lets… Let’s get to class,” He nearly whispered, holding onto Shiro’s hand as they went upstairs and into an auditorium that held benches and long, curved desks that ran with the benches. Keith dragged Shiro up to the higher area, sitting down and getting the other to sit down too. There were a handful of other students in the class, having paused their conversations to give Shiro a once over before they returned to talking. Keith could tell that the older man was still tense. “Shiro, lay down,” He said softly. Shiro blinked at him, hesitant. “If you put your head in my lap, I’ll pet you,” Keith offered, and that got the man to lay right down, head on Keith’s thighs and eyes facing the underside of the desk. 

 

The student pulled out his notebook and took a breath, letting his left hand comb through Shiro’s hair as his right hand took neat notes at what the professor said. He felt strangely comfortable with the other finding comfort in him. Class went by as usual, and Keith had four whole pages of notes to use for study. Shiro was asleep, and Keith almost felt bad for waking him. He gently shook the werewolves shoulder, murmuring to him. “Shiro, it’s time to get up. Let’s go home, you can sleep more when we get back.” He eventually got the large man to get up, rubbing at his eyes as they left the classroom. Keith felt himself drifting closer to Shiro as they left the building, the group of wolves sitting in the wet grass near where they’d previously been standing.

 

Shiro tensed and brought Keith closer as he saw the other's eyes follow Keith like he was a prize. They got to the truck without interruption, and Keith drove them over to the nearest coffee house because  _ damn,  _ he really needed some. The two got out wordlessly, ordering then sitting at a booth next to a large window that showed off the street and parking lot. “So,” Keith started. “Why were they looking at me like that?” He asked softly, playing with his napkin. 

 

“You noticed?”

 

“Kind of hard not to when you’re looked at like a piece of meat.”

 

Shiro shifted, sighing. “Well… It’s a werewolf thing. Taking things from rivals brings up pleasure. I- I don’t know why, it’s always been that way. They must’ve known that you weren’t marked, with the way they were looking at you.”

 

“Marked?” Keith questioned, blinking curiously at Shiro. “What does that mean?”

 

The elder shifted almost uncomfortably. “It- Its kind of like a wedding ring to werewolves. Except it- it’s a bite mark that binds us to the other. A claiming. The scent of a marked changes, so others know to stay away.” Keith blushed. “Sorry you got dragged into this.” Before Keith could assure him that it was alright, he saw the pack coming towards the coffee house. He swallowed nervously, quickly reaching for Shiro’s hand across the table as the group entered and ordered, then the Lance guy sauntered up to Keith, sliding into the booth seat that the human was in. Shiro’s eyes narrowed, but Lance ignored him, even as Keith leaned away. 

 

“Mm, what a  _ treat  _ you have here. He’s so pretty, un-marked too,” He cooed, and that was enough for Shiro to actually  _ growl.  _ For people outside of the know, it looked and sounded kind of silly, but for those who were  _ in  _ the know, it was a sound of anger and possessiveness. Lance immediately backed up out of instinct, getting away from the booth and hiding behind his sister who looked thoroughly displeased in her brothers actions. Keith was shaking, because as tough as he is, these people actually turned into  _ wolves.  _ So what if he was scared? It’s a lot better than being attacked. 

 

Shiro got out of the booth, plastering Keith to his side as they walked past and grabbed their coffee. Lance apparently wasn’t done, though, and wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist, pulling him back and nosing his hair. “G- Get off of me!” Keith yelped. 

 

“Look at him guys, this little human. Do you think he would make a good toy?” He purred, and apparently that was enough for Shiro, who looked absolutely  _ pissed.  _ Shiro shoved Lance away  _ hard,  _ shielding Keith with his body. Lance’s pack immediately came to attention, eyes trained at the large man. 

 

“ _ Stay away from him, _ ” He growled, and even Keith flinched at the sound. 

 

“Woah, looks like I made the-” Lance started, but his sister cut him off. 

 

“I’m very sorry for his actions.  _ He  _ is sorry for his actions. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

 

Keith started pulling Shiro out of the coffee shop and to the truck, the werewolf  _ very  _ un-happy as they started driving away. He sighed, taking a sip of his own coffee. “Takashi, drink your coffee before it gets cold,” He said softly, honestly a little fearful of the other but  _ seriously  _ not wanting him to waste his coffee. The wolves’ eyes were on him before he saw him starting to finally drink his coffee. 

 

“You don’t need to be scared,” Shiro mumbled. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

 

Keith shrugged. “It’s not like I know that. You- You were pretty scary back there, honestly.” Shiro shifts softly in his seat, Keith glancing over at the other. “Are you still angry?”

 

The man shrugged. “I- I’m sorry. I don’t know what had come over me,” He mumbled, and Keith detected some sadness in his voice. “Please don’t be afraid of me,” He whispered, and Keith’s eyes widened, quickly slowing down and pulling over, putting the truck in park. 

 

“Shiro,” He mumbled, unbuckling his seatbelt and shifting to sit next to the to the other, wrapping him up in a half hug. “Don’t worry. I won’t be scared of you.” After a moment, he added, “And I’m not going anywhere.” The big wolf man sniffed softly, leaning into the hug. 

 

“Thank you,” Shiro mumbled. 

 

“Hush, Shiro, it’s fine.” 

 

This wolf man was worming his way into Keith’s heart, and honestly, he was ready to do so. He wanted to support Shiro and be there for him, and protect him to the best of his ability. He hated seeing the man sad, because such a gentle and caring person didn’t deserve such an emotion. 

 

At last, He’s going to let his gay thoughts fly free. Those thoughts drove him to do something he probably would  _ never  _ do otherwise, even if he is reckless and emotion driven. 

 

He kissed Shiro, throwing common sense out the window. Yeah, maybe he only met the guy yesterday, and maybe he was a werewolf. That didn’t stop Keith though, and oh boy, it sure didn’t stop Shiro from returning the kiss. It was sloppy and a little desperate, but it sure as hell didn’t bother Keith who was practically in heaven, grinning as they parted for air.

 

“ _ Holy shit,”  _ Shiro whispered. 

 

_ Holy shit indeed.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hmu @zaynewrites on twitter, shoot me some ideas for this fic either in the comments below or on twitter, bc I have no idea where I'm taking this story. <3


	3. Mister Boyfriend Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya!! Thanks for the feedback on the last chapter <3
> 
> Special thanks to Chris_White and Infectious10 for coming up with idea's for this chapter and following chapters <3
> 
> Enjoy!

The rain was noisy against the roof of the truck, but quiet enough that the two inside could hear each other’s heavy breathing. The curse rested heavy in the air, and suddenly Keith was brought down from whatever high had overtaken him. The air suddenly felt thinner, and his eyes widened while his grin fell.  _ What was wrong with him? _

 

“Oh- Oh my god, Shiro, I- I’m so sorry I-” Firm lips pressed against his, and any further apologies were pushed away as they kissed. The kiss felt  _ great.  _ Sure, Keith has kissed people but it had always been in secret and always fleeting; behind the bleachers and in janitorial closets. Nothing this heated, this passionate. He’d never imagined that he’d be having such a kiss in his old, single cab truck that he’d bought off some guy three towns over. Never imagined that he’d be kissing a very hot guy who also happened to be a werewolf. 

 

Keith pulled away for breath, Shiro’s lips chasing his but merely brushing his own. Noses pushed together, foreheads touching and lips barely touching. Keith loved the feel of Shiro’s breath mixing with his own, but he pulled away much too soon than he liked, licking at his swollen lips. “Holy  _ shit, _ ” Keith whispered, one of his hands touching his lips. “We just- Oh my  _ god. _ ”

 

Shiro’s chest rumbled with a laugh, one of his bigger hands coming up to hold Keith’s cheek. “Yeah. We just did. Are you alright?” A soft tone held Shiro’s voice, comforting to Keith. He leaned into the hand, grinning softly. Before he could reply, a knock from the passenger side window startled them out of their reverie. Keith looked out the window and decided that making out on the side of the was something we was never,  _ ever,  _ going to do again. The town Sheriff rested outside of the window, and  _ oh lord,  _ if Marissa gets word of this he will  _ never  _ live it down. 

 

Face still burning, he rolled down the window, batting Shiro’s hand away and smiling nervously at the officer. “Uh, hey there Richard. A bit cold out, huh?”

 

The man, Richard, rolled his eyes. He was a heavy set guy with salt and pepper hair with a moustache that was more salt than pepper. Richard wasn’t quite comfortable with gay relationships, but Keith knew that the man would never judge him. “I’d say so, yeah. Now, you realize that what yer doin’ is illegal, right? Doin’ this in a public area?” Keith nods, biting his lips. “I’m not gonna fine you, but Marissa is sure as hell gonna hear about it.”

 

Keith’s shoulders fell, a small whine coming out of his throat. “Oh lord, anything but that.” Richard laughed over the rain. 

 

“Now I’m  _ defninitely  _ going to tell her. Get along now, and I better not see this again from either of you, ya hear?” The two nod, and Richard pats the door before getting into his cruiser and pulling back onto the road, driving towards the city. A few moments later, after the rain had come in and soaked through the shoulder of his shirt, Keith started laughing like the madman he was. Shiro soon joined him, Keith pressing his face to the elders shoulder as laughs rumbled his chest. 

 

“I can’t- I can’t believe we just got  _ caught, _ ” Keith giggled, spurring their laughter on. It was a few more minutes before they could calm down, Shiro pressing a few kisses to Keith’s lips as they calmed. He breathed out a soft sigh, smiling at the elder. “Let’s go home now, I’m hungry,” He said, shifting off of Shiro’s lap and back into the drivers seat. The truck was still on, so Keith shifted it out of park and started back home, smiling softly as he felt Shiro’s eyes on him. 

 

\----

 

That night, Keith cooked up another steak for the two of them, pairing it with some white rice and veggies. Dinner was eaten quickly, and cleaned up just as so, Shiro’s hands unable to keep to themselves. Keith, at first, was a little irritated with it, but it quickly led Keith to where he was now; sitting on the counter with his legs around Shiro’s hips, the two engaged in a battle of tongues. At least they were, until Shiro pulled away. Keith whined a bit, because being with another man like this made him a whole new person who was needy as  _ hell.  _

 

“Shiro?” He murmured when the other looked at the window in the kitchen, a smaller hand carressing his jaw. “What is it?” Keith murmured, pulling himself out of his lustful haze and into a more concerned state. 

 

“They’re here,” Shiro whispered. “You need to hide.  _ Now. _ ” For a moment, Keith was confused.  _ Who’s _ \- Oh.  _ Oh. The pack.  _

 

Keith nodded, getting off of the counter with a stumble before going into his hallway closet, pressing himself against his extra blankets and medical supplies. He heard the front door open and close, but besides that, nothing else could be heard. He let his mind wander as he waited, frowning softly. Why was the pack there? Were they here for him, or Shiro? They did mention something about being an un-claimed. Maybe that’s what it was. Keith swallowed as he heard a raised voice, recognizing it as Shiro. He took a shaky breath. Sure, he was strong and could take on a  _ normal  _ guy or two. But a pack of werewolves? He might as well be an ant fighting a magnifying glass. 

 

Minutes later, the front door opened and soon his own door was opened by Shiro, looking a bit ticked but alright. “Shiro? Is everything alright?” Keith asked softly, stepping out and looking out the front door which was still open. He couldn’t see their face, but he could tell that Lance was standing outside because of his height and figure. Keith moved a bit closer to Shiro at the sight of him; he couldn’t help it. You’d be scared too if there was a group of werewolves standing outside of his house. 

 

Shiro placed a gentle hand on Keith’s back, sighing softly. “They said that I either join their pack, or they take you. I came to make sure that you’d be okay with me joining them…”

 

Keith raised his eyebrow. “It’s… It’s not my choice if you join them. I’d rather not be with them, though.”

 

Shiro nodded, leaning down and burying his face in Keith’s hair. 

 

“Uhm. You okay there Shiro?” The man nodded, taking a breath. 

 

“Your scent is calming.” Keith blushed. He wasn’t sure how to feel about what’s going on; everything was moving too fast for him to take in. “I’ll go tell them. Please go in the bedroom and stay there; Lance keeps asking about you and I’m afraid of what he’ll do if he gets too close.” Keith nodded, parting from Shiro and walking into the room. He closed the door, flopping onto the bed with a heavy sigh. He never imagined that living in Washington would turn his life into a gay Twilight knockoff. 

 

Soon, the front door was being shut and Shiro was going into the room, looking rather nervous. Keith sat up and scoot back on the bed, opening his arms for Shiro. “You okay?” He murmured as the other came in and cuddled against the smaller. 

 

“Just… nervous. I’ve never really been apart of a pack other than my family’s. I feel like I’m… Betraying them or something.” Shiro’s voice was sad as Keith combed his finger’s through the wolves hair. “I don’t like being in a pack that I have no connection too, either.”

 

Keith hummed, sighing softly. “I understand. Not completely, but I know what you’re getting at. I’m sure your family would understand given your circumstances. You’ll get to know them, and I’ll…” He considered his words for a moment, looking down at the man resting on him. “I’ll be here for you. I might not be a lot of help, but I’ll always be here.” They stayed like that for a moment, relishing in the comfortable silence. 

 

Keith used the silence to think about what’s going on. First thing he needed to address was their relationship. He liked Shiro, who  _ wouldn’t,  _ and he definitely liked his mouth. Other than that though, He didn’t know much about the other’s background. From what he’s seen of Shiro, he would definitely be willing to give it a try. “Shiro?” The man hummed, but didn’t move from his comfortable spot. “What… What are we? Like… Relationship wise.”

 

The man shifted, hands rubbing Keith’s back. “What do you want us to be?” He asked in a murmur. 

 

Keith bit his lip for a moment before replying. “Well… Honestly? I wanna date you. Not just like, makeout in my truck or on the counter. Well I mean- I love the making out. Like,  _ really  _ love it. But also go on dates and all that stuff that boyfriends do?” A small chuckle came out of the other. 

 

“You want us to be boyfriends then? Because, if I were to be honest with you as well, I’d really like that. A lot. You’re much smaller as well, easier to protect.” Keith rolled his eyes a little but still grinned, holding Shiro close. “How many men have you dated?” 

 

Keith’s grin faltered, not that Shiro could really see it. “Well, uh… None, actually? I’ve kissed a few guys but other than that... “

 

Shiro hummed, shifting a little. “None? Odd. I was sure that you’ve at least like, been with someone with how cute you are.” Keith laughed softly, kissing Shiro’s shoulder.  “In that case, I will work hard to give you the best dating experience ever.” 

 

Another laugh came out of Keith, the man sighing afterwards. “Okay, mister boyfriend. I’m going to bed;  _ way  _ too much excitement tonight and work in the morning.” Shiro pouted as he moved off of Keith, who was already getting up to shed his clothes and slip on a white nightshirt. Keith caught the pout, smiling softly. “What? Sad that you’re actually gonna be alone all day?”

 

Shiro nods. “I just… It’s nice being around you. And not alone,” He says, getting up and changing as well. Neither of them spoke until they were settled in bed, Keith’s head resting on Shiro’s shoulder and fingers lightly tracing patterns on the other’s chest. 

 

“I know. You can watch tv or whatever until I get back. Sleep too, make something to eat. I leave at seven and get back around five if everything goes well.” A kiss was pressed to the top of his head, and Keith smiled wide, arm moving to just wrap around Shiro’s waist. “Let’s go to bed, mmkay? I’ll wake you up before I leave.”

 

Keith fell asleep easily, feeling relaxed despite everything that had occurred that day and what the future held. 

 

\-----

  
  


Keith blinked awake as the jarring sound of his alarm rang throughout the room, shifting around and tapping the top of the machine until he found the  _ off _ button, pressing into it with haste. The sound stopped,  _ thank god.  _ Shiro woke to the sound as well, frowning as Keith started to get out of bed and towards the bathroom. “Where you goin’?” He asked in a deep mumble, frowning more at the laugh he got from Keith. 

 

“I need to get ready for work,” came the soft reply, Keith grabbing his work clothes before stepping into the bathroom. He heard a soft whine come from his werewolf which made him smile as he turned on the shower and began his morning routine. 

 

Once he was showered and his teeth were brushed, hair combed and pulled back into a pony tail, Keith went back into the bedroom after dressing and was now sitting on the edge of the bed and sliding on a pair of socks. Well, he  _ was  _ sliding on socks, until he felt large arms encircling his body. He sighed, leaning into Shiro’s chest with a small smile. “Shiro, you know that I need to go,” He mumbled, humming at the kiss pressed to his cheek. 

 

“‘M gonna miss you though,” Shiro childishly replied, nuzzling Keith’s neck. The receiver of nuzzles chuckled softly, leaning his head against Shiro’s. 

 

“I know. You’ll be okay. Also, I’m gonna leave my phone here. ‘Rissa’s number is already in my contacts, so just find her if there’s an emergency and she’ll come get me. But  _ only  _ emergencies,” He warned, leaning back a bit to press a kiss to Shiro’s head. “Now get off me you big puppy, I need to put my socks and shoes on.”

 

With a childish whine, the man pulled away, flopping on the bed while Keith finished getting ready. Before he left though, he placed a gentle kiss on the werewolves forehead then walked out of the room and into the garage after grabbing his favorite leather jacket, slipping on a helmet before hopping on his bike and taking off towards work. 

 

\---

 

The day had pretty un-eventful so far. Shipment day wasn’t until thursday, so all he really had to do was keep an eye on the cashiers and sweep up a bit. Around mid-day, he was tasked with putting the newspapers and magazines away; nothing large, just a few stacks that needed to be untied then moved onto a little display thing. He got to work on that, when a certain someone came up to him, grinning like the goddamn idiot he was. 

 

“Hey there, little thing,” Lance purred. Keith only glanced at him before continuing to put the reading items away, ignoring him. The werewolf frowned. “What? I can’t take you now, your  _ boyfriend  _ is apart of our pack now, we can’t touch  _ anything  _ of his.” Keith blushed a little at that, but didn’t respond still. He  _ was  _ at work after all. A huff came from the other man. “What do I have to do to get your attention? Do I really need to touch you, cause I’ll do it. You  _ do  _ have a nice ass, after all,” He purred. Keith saw a hand moving towards his rear, and faster than he could remember himself doing, he rolled up the magazine in his hand and slapped Lance’s hand  _ hard.  _

 

_ “Don’t touch me,”  _ He snapped. “And go away, your flirtatious advances aren’t wanted here,  _ and  _ I’m working.” Keith then finished up his task, nearly smirking at the defeated look on Lance’s face, and noticed him rubbing his hand. Before Lance could reply, Keith was off at one of the registers, helping dwindle the line that was just a few people too long. A bit of happiness swelled in his chest when Lance left the store.

 

During his lunch break, he visited Marissa, which was rather usual. He smiled softly as he sat behind the counter and at the sandwich that the woman had so nicely made him; ‘Rissa was a really wonderful person. They were quietly chatting around the few shoppers that had come in, when the woman’s phone rang. She gave a curious look to it, looking to Keith. “Are you butt dialing me?”

 

Keith blinked before he realized; Shiro had his phone. He grabbed the phone from Marissa as he said, “No, Shiro has my phone. I don’t have another for him right now.” With that, he answered the phone, blinking as he heard a very worried Shiro immediately start speaking into the phone. 

 

“Oh my god, Marissa, I think I might’ve just broke one of Keith’s plates, what do I do?”

 

“You did  _ what? _ ” Keith nearly snapped, frowning deeply. “How did you manage that?”

 

“Oh! Uh,  _ hey  _ Keith. H-How’s work?” Shiro sounded very much like a child preparing himself to be punished. Keith couldn’t be mad at that; he just  _ couldn’t.  _

 

He sighed. “Shiro, you’re not in trouble. Just tell me how you broke the plate and then I’ll tell you were the broom and dust pan is.”

 

“Well I… I was making a sandwich and I just… I caught some of your scent and I just, dropped the plate. I’m really, really sorry,” He nearly whimpered.

 

Keith laughed a little bit, shaking his head. “It’s fine. The broom and dustpan are in the pantry, make sure you get all of the shards, okay?” After he recieved an affirmative, he sighed lightly. “I’m gonna hang up now, okay? I’ll see you when I get home. Bye,” After getting the same response, he hung up and gave the woman her phone back, blushing at the teasing look she wore. 

 

“A certain police officer told me what you two were up to yesterday. Do I need to buy you two some condoms?” Keith’s face could’ve caught fire with how hot it’d grown. 

 

“‘Rissa! N-No, oh my  _ god, _ ” He cried, covering his face a bit. After listening to her cackle a bit, he removed his hands and cleared his throat. “We already have some, anyways.” The woman started laughing again, wiping her eye. 

 

“Alright, alright,” She spoke, calming down. “But seriously, be safe, okay? Not just sexually. Don’t let that sweet man break your heart okay? Even worse, don’t break his.” Keith nodded and checked the time, swearing and hopping over the counter. 

 

“Gotta go! Thanks for lunch ‘Rissa!” With that, he was gone, back to work for another few hours. 

 

\---

 

When Keith walked into the kitchen soaking wet from the outside rain, he was immediately assaulted with a bear hug. Or rather a wolf hug. Shiro was holding him tight, face buried in Keith’s hair. The reciever laughed, hugging back. “You really are a big puppy. Now let go of me; I need to go change,” He pushed lightly at the other’s chest until he was freed. “Make me some coffee?” He asked, leaning up to press a small kiss to Shiro’s cheek as incentive. 

 

Shiro nods, pressing his own kiss to the other’s face before getting started on brewing the pot of delicious brown liquid. Keith walked back into the bedroom, changing out of his soggy outfit and dressing in some comfortable pajamas before tossing his previous outfit into the dryer and watching for a moment as it spun to life before returning to the kitchen. 

 

A smile came to his face as he watched Shiro from the doorway, the man seeming to have spaced out staring out the window. Keith walked up to him quietly, wrapping his arms around him loosely and laying his head on the taller’s chest, successfully stirring him out of his thoughts. “Thank you for making me coffee,” He mumbled softly, nuzzling the other’s chest. 

 

Shiro rested his bad hand on Keith’s hip, then used the other to pull Keith's chin up, leaning down and meeting him with a gentle kiss. After their lips parted, Shiro took a deep inhale of air, presumably Keith’s scent. After a moment, he frowned softly. “You’re welcome… Did Lance visit with you today?”

 

Keith nods, not seeing the point in lying. “Well, yeah. He flirted with me a bit, then tried to grab my butt before I smacked him and told him off.” Shiro frowned more, pressing his forehead to the others.    
  


“If he ever does that again, tell me. I don’t want him touching my-” Shiro seemed to stop himself, Keith looking at him curiously. 

 

“Shiro? Are you saying that I- I belong to you?” He didn’t really think it was a bad thing, but he wanted everything in their relationship to be crystal clear. He may or may not have read that in one of the media magazines he’d put away earlier. 

 

“I- Well you don’t  _ belong  _ to me, persay… I just…” He shook his head. “Nevermind. I suppose I was just getting protective.” 

 

Keith laughed a little, kissing Shiro’s cheek. “I don’t mind. Don’t be afraid to say anything, okay?” Shiro nods, and they share a gentle kiss before Keith pulls away. “Now, I need to make my self a cup before I fall asleep.” He grabs his favorite mug and, while the coffee was brewing, pulled out the jug and poured himself a cup. 

 

“Keith, it’s still-”

  
“Shh, I know. I’m not gonna wait for the whole thing to fill. I need my coffee now, not in ten minutes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite satisfied with the pacing of this chapter, its more a transitional one for the next? 
> 
> What would you guys like for the next chapter? Smut, or should I save that spicy stuff for later?
> 
> Edit: Ive decided to hold off on the spice! Thank you everyone for your input <3 <3


	4. Mister Pack Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the love I've gotten for this fic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Sadly, I've been having a hard time writing lately ;-; This chapter wasn't nearly as long as I'd wanted, but I couldn't bring myself to write anything more if that makes sense?
> 
> There's some of Lance's POV, and some angst that I didn't mean to put in but it's there anyways. 
> 
> <3

 

“Lance, where have you been all morning?” 

 

Ah, so Allura noticed he was gone. Shit.

 

“Ah ha ha,  _ hey Allura, _ ” He drawled, moving his arms behind his back in light nervousness, which of course, his sister just  _ had  _ to notice. “I was just, uh, hanging out in the woods. Sniffin’ trees and… other… werewolf stuff.”

 

Allura narrowed his eyes, jutting her hip out and resting a fist on it. “Oh? So why didn’t Kyle  _ or  _ Hunk see you while  _ they  _ were in the woods doing, ‘ _ wolf stuff’ _ ?” Lance bit his lip, eyes pointed downwards. Well, no escaping now.

 

“Uh, well, I actually wasn’t doing wolf stuff. I kind of… Went into town…” He mumbled, feeling Allura’s alpha anger radiate off of her. 

 

“I  _ told  _ you not to go into town! What were you-” Realization flooded her face, and oh boy, if Lance had his tail right now, it would  _ definitely  _ be between his legs. “Did you go to find Shiro’s human?” She growled, and Lance gave a nod, swallowing and speaking up a bit before she could continue. 

 

“I’m sorry! He just smells so  _ good.  _ I’ve never smelled a human like that, I just-”

 

“ _ Lance.  _ I don’t care if he smells good. He is  _ Shiro’s human.  _ And that human does  _ not _ like you. If Shiro finds out, he is liable to fight you. We  _ both  _ know that you won’t win that. What in the hell is wrong with you?” She snapped smacking the side of his head. She didn’t sound too angry now, no longer standing as his Alpha but as his sister. “Do not bother that boy again. You will apologize to Shiro  _ and  _ his human tomorrow when they come over. Understood _? _ ”

 

“But, but-”

 

“ _ Understood?” _

 

Lance deflated. “I understand. But Keith hit me with a magazine! He should apologize for that!”

 

Allura laughed softly. “Good. God knows you deserved it.” Lance jutted out his bottom lip in a pout. “Now get on, Hunk was looking for you. You worry him, you know.”

 

Hunk, his best friend for-fucking-ever. That guy was literally the best, and may or may not be Lance’s crush. Not a little crush either, no, a big fat crush that threatened to collapse his lungs every time the guy said something to him. His pout stopped when Hunk was mentioned, standing up a little and rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah, I know… Where is he, anyways?”

 

“He’s patrolling the south end, but he isn’t shifted. Apologize to him for worrying him, will you?”

 

Lance nods, waving to Allura before running out the back door, using his long legs to carry himself over rocks and under branches, following his friend’s scent. He wished that he could patrol their borders, but that was for Alpha’s only, and Lance was a beta. If something were to happen, an Alpha’s strength was needed on the border to keep anything from getting in. He understood, but still hated it. Their pack was large originally, with Lance and Allura’s family being mixed in as well as Hunk’s family and a good handful of others. Something bad had happened, another pack trying to move into their territory. A lot of people were lost that night, and honestly Lance had a hard time sleeping because of it. His and Allura’s family had been killed in cold blood, the majority of Hunk’s save for his brother joined the many who had littered the ground. Seven of their ten stragglers had survived, and together, they ran north and into Oregon. Within a week, they’d gotten two trucks and a van, and were moving north to a house that used to be occupied by Hunk’s family before they’d moved south. Together, they were a new family, protective and watchful of one another as a pack should be. They’d been in the area for only two days, and were working on securing their territory and finding where their own ended and another pack’s began. 

 

Lance spotted Hunk after a few minutes of travelling, yelling out to him with a bright smile. “Hunk! Yo, I heard you were looking for me!” He called, slowing to a stop at Hunk’s side. Hunk was a pretty big guy; basically your stereotypical Hawaiian dude. Heavy set, tanned skin, even a gorgeous tribal tattoo decorating his shoulder. His hair was cut short, a long cloth headband holding back his black bangs. He was also really friendly, and gave the  _ best _ hugs. Lance would know; he hugged the guy all the time. 

 

“Lance!” Hunk turned to him, shoulders seeming to relax. “There you are; I was worried about you.” Lance laughed softly, elbowing his friend lightly. 

 

“Dude, I’m fine. I’m almost twenty, I can handle myself.” Hunk gave him a pointed look, and Lance stuck out his tongue. “Don’t give me that look! I’m responsible,” Lance stuck out his chest a little, crossing his arms.

 

“Flirting with an Alpha’s human?” He commented, raising an eyebrow. Lance deflated, pout returning. 

 

“He smells good, okay? He doesn’t smell, I don’t know, he doesn’t smell human. If you had smelled him you’d know,” Lance said. “Oh! You can smell him tomorrow; Allura said that they were coming over for dinner.”

 

His friend sighed, nodding. 

 

“Anyways, you wanted to ask something?” Lance questioned, hands behind his back. Hunk rubbed the back of his neck, smiling nervously.

 

“Well uh, I’ll just ask you later, yeah? I need to get back to patrolling, you shouldn’t be here anyways.” Hunk warned, getting a laugh out of Lance. 

 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m going,” He laughed, waving at him then starting on his trek back. He made it back to the house quickly, though it was more of a cabin now that he thought of it. The outside was wood, though under it held a more secure structure. There were large windows along the front, allowing anyone to see the lightly decorated living room. There were eighteen rooms, six large rooms and the remaining twelve being smaller, single person rooms that resembled the size of a prison cell. That didn’t stop anyone from rooming together, however. Allura took one of the largest rooms for herself, being their Alpha and all. Two of the stragglers were siblings, so they took a smaller room together, then the rest of the stragglers grouped together in twos; they didn’t want to sleep alone. Hunk took a bigger room and shared it with his brother, Kyle, leaving Lance to have his own room. 

 

When they’d first arrived, Lance had conked out as soon as his head hit the pillow. But, after the initial excitement had worn off, he knew that nightmares were going to rise. He pushed those thoughts to the side as he walked into the house, tip toeing past Allura and into his room. It was one of the smaller ones, with a simple bed resting on a wooden frame covered in a white sheet. There was an empty closet in the wall across from the bed, and a window that let in limited light. Besides those, the room was empty; Lance definitely had some re-decorating to do. He opened his suitcase that was rather carelessly tossed on the floor, clothes spilling out of it. Grabbing a few hangers from the empty closet, he hummed a quiet song and put his clothes on the plastic hangers. 

 

It was so different here, in Washington. He missed California, he missed being next to the ocean, he missed the fresh, salted air that had blown his way. Lance missed his Mama, and his sisters and brothers. They were so young, he’d barely known them. Twelve, nine, and four were their young ages. Two had just barely learned to shift, he remembered. Hell, it wasn’t that long ago, but he already struggled to remember their voices, every time he tried to recall, all he could remember was that night, their screams-

 

He touched his face, hand coming back wet. Lance’s lip quivered, soon finding himself shaking with the force of his emotions. Now that he thought of this, the pack hasn’t properly grieved yet. It seemed that- that everyone was simply distracting themselves from something that shouldn’t be ignored. Yeah, they cried the first night that they ran, and a few times during the trip to Washington. But no one talked about it, he hadn’t sat with Allura and talked about the many family members they’d lost. He knew that Hunk and his brother hadn’t talked about it either. After furiously wiping at his face a few times, he realized that it wouldn’t stop. 

 

Without hesitation, because that’s how Lance rolled, he left his tiny room and easily found Allura; she was humming to herself, cleaning things that honestly already looked clean. She turned at the sound of sorrow, lightly dirtied rag lightly falling from her fingers. She didn’t waste a moment; wrapping her arms around her younger brother with a shaky sigh. Lance also didn’t waste anytime in letting out his once contained sobs, clinging to the only person that he could truly call family. 

 

\----

 

The rest of the pack had returned home around dinner time, but no one had cooked anything. The pack huddled up on the couch and let themselves cry with one another; no one was left out. Even the straggler who had lost no one was pulled into an embrace. It was probably about twenty minutes before anyone was calmed down enough to speak. Allura was the first to speak, clearing her throat and rubbing her brilliantly blue eyes. 

 

“We haven’t talked about this, about what happened. And- And it was wrong of me to ignore it,” She spoke softly, though she knew that everyone had heard. “We lost a lot that night. We lost our home, our f-families.” She instinctively brought Lance closer to herself. “But we cannot let ourselves dwell long on what we’ve lost. Instead, focus on what we have. Remember what we lost, but focus on what we can be. This is our pack now. We’ve made it through many things, from Lance’s garbage cooking,” A few sniffled giggles, including Lance’s own. “To an attack on our home. We are stronger than ever now, and we have the potential to be even stronger.” She raised her teary voice, and Kyle whooped; it was a bit of tradition that Hunk’s family had brought with them. “We will grow powerful.” Another whoop, more than a few. A smile came to Allura’s face. “We will lose no one else, we will stay together.” Almost everyone yelled in support, smiles decorating tear stained faces. “Alfor’s pack will live on!” She yelled. 

 

To outsiders, this looked almost… inappropriate. It was clear that they were grieving, but everyone wore happy smiles and yelled and whooped in support. Hunk’s parents had started this in the tribe; the yelling in support. Allura’s father, Alfor, had graciously accepted this, and it wasn’t long until it was a normal thing. It was almost like howling, and even the quietest of pack members would join in. 

 

The group piled together in a giant hug, grinning and laughing softly. Affectionate kisses were pressed to cheeks and foreheads, little sniffles coming around once in awhile but never growing far enough to turn into tears. 

 

\------------

 

Keith had made some soup that night; nothing fancy, just some broccoli and cheese soup he’d purchased from work. The two sat on the couch with the television on, watching the news with bored eyes. It was still raining outside, pattering against the large window in the living room. After they’d finished their food, Keith let himself settle in Shiro’s lap, facing the newscast. It was a few minutes before he heard the other sniff, Keith turning with a frown to see Shiro crying with a rather confused look on his face. “Shiro? What’s wrong?” He asked quickly, turning around and wiping at the other’s face. 

 

Shiro swallowed, looking down at his boyfriend. “I- I’m not sure. I just-” A sniff. “I feel really,  _ really  _ upset right now, I- It must be the pack.” The elder sobbed softly, giving into the tears that wanted to shake him. Keith, although confused, held the other close and comforted him. After a few moments, Shiro  _ wailed _ , body shaking with a strong sob. It broke Keith’s heart to see this, and it just made him that much more confused. The pack? What did Takashi mean by that? Maybe they had one of those weird ass mind connections or something. 

 

The tears lasted for nearly another twenty minutes, Shiro finally calming down after a bit. He sniffled and shook, coughing softly and giving soft pants. “Are you okay?” Keith asked softly, kissing Shiro’s head gingerly. The man nodded, looking at his lover with bloodshot eyes. “What happened?” Keith whispered, caressing his cheek. 

 

Takashi shrugged, swallowing. “The pack… There's this, mental connection that comes with being in a pack. If nearly everyone in the pack is feeling a- a strong emotion, the one’s who don’t feel it will be- be  _ dragged in,  _ forced to feel it with everyone else. They- They must have been really.... Upset. I hope nothing bad has happened,” He mumbled, leaning into the kiss that Keith pressed to his lips.

 

“I hope nothing happened either. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” Keith murmured, getting up and gently pulling Shiro along. Soft, white tissues wiped at Shiro’s snot and tear covered face, Keith being slow and gentle while he wiped at his eyes. Soon though, Shiro was grinning, seeming  _ giddy  _ now. “What now?”

 

“I feel,” Shiro laughed. “I feel so  _ happy  _ now.  _ Motivated.  _ The- The pack must be okay now,” He said with another laugh. Keith shook his head with a soft smile, leaning up a bit when Shiro leaned down to kiss him eagerly. This kiss was deep filled with pure, unadulterated  _ joy. _ Like a victory kiss. Well, at least Keith  _ assumed  _ that this was what a victory kiss felt like; he’d only seen such a thing on the big screen and in television dramas. It was nice though, it left the two of them pulling away with little laughs and big smiles. 

 

“Alright, I’m gonna go take a shower. Clean up dinner for me?” Keith asked softly, receiving a nod in return. They exchanged a few more kisses before parting, Keith into the bathroom and Shiro into the living room to grab their dirtied dishes. Keith grabbed one of his soft, white towels and placed it on the counter, pushing the door to where it was almost closed; the mirror wouldn’t fog up as much if he let the steam out. Turning on the shower and stripping down, he hummed to himself, looking at the length of his hair in the mirror. Running a hand through the long hair flowing past his neck, he frowned. “Definitely need a trim,” He mumbled. After assessing himself in the mirror like the narcissistic asshole he was, he climbed into the shower and sighed at the hot water running over his muscles. 

 

After deeming himself clean, the water was turned off and Keith was stepping out of the shower and wrapping himself in a towel. And not the usual way that guys did it, no, he wrapped it around his chest and let it barely cover his ass. He’d been wrapping himself like this for years for no particular reason. Maybe because it was warmer? He didn’t know, but at the same time, didn’t care. Well, not until now, where he was getting stared at as he stepped out of the bathroom. Suddenly self conscious and vaguely feeling like he was on fire, he furrowed his brows at Shiro. “Something… Wrong?”

 

Shiro stared at him for a moment longer before blinking, clearing his throat. “Well, uhm, uh, you just… Cute. You look cute,” He murmured, looking anywhere  _ but  _ Keith. Said man softened, smiling. 

 

“Thank you, I guess,” He replied, walking into his-  _ their _ \- room and quickly getting dressed in some boxers and one of his larger night shirts. Shiro came in after a moment, having waited for Keith to get dressed before coming in. Keith stood on his toes to press a kiss to Shiro’s lips, smiling at him. “Thanks for cleaning up,” He mumbled, letting his eyes close as he felt the other’s arm wrap around his waist. 

 

“Anything for you,” Shiro mumbled, pressing some more kisses to Keith’s lips. They remained like that, Shiro’s hands slowly travelling to Keith’s ass. Almost immediately, Keith pulled out of the kiss. Just as immediately Shiro started mouthing at Keith’s jaw and neck, little sparks of pleasure lighting up Keith’s belly. He felt… Uncomfortable though. Wasn’t he supposed to enjoy this? Well, he was, that mouth on his neck felt like  _ magic. _ After another few moments, Keith realized that this was going too fast for him. Yes he  _ wanted  _ this but at the same time, he was uncomfortable. 

 

Swallowing, Keith spoke up. “Shiro,” He said, voice a whisper. The other man seemed oblivious to it, so Keith raised his voice as light panic sparked in his veins. “Shiro, stop.” He said firmly, and Takashi immediately froze, pulling away and searching Keith’s face. 

 

“Are you alright? Do you not like it?” Keith was questioned, hands removed from his rear. 

 

“I- I’m fine…” Keith murmured, melting at the pure worry and adoration in Shiro’s voice. “It’s just… Too fast. Maybe… maybe some other time, okay?” He thought was going to get scolded or yelled at or that Shiro would be disappointed in him. He got none of that though, the man just nodding and kissing Keith softly before moving him over to the bed and tucking Keith in. 

 

“Okay. I want you to be comfortable,” Shiro mumbled, sitting on the edge and petting Keith’s hair softly. “I’m going to shower, is that alright?” He asked after a few moments of Shiro petting him. 

 

Keith nodded, pulling Shiro down for a soft kiss. “Yeah. And thank you- for understanding. I…. I don’t want to disappoint you.” He murmured. 

 

“Keith you could never disappoint me,” Takashi mumbled, kissing Keith’s nose. “You are and will forever be absolutely amazing.” He whispered, kissing his lips one last time before getting up and stretching, walking into the bathroom without another word. 

 

Keith let himself smile at this, sighing softly and listening to the water turn on in the bathroom. Shiro was definitely  _ very  _ sweet, and respected the fact that he just wasn’t ready for any sexual escapades. He wasn’t sure how long it was, but soon the water was being shut off and Shiro was coming back into the room dressed in only briefs. Keith took a moment to study multitude of scars across his body and arms, the raised white lines looking nice against Takashi’s tanned skin. He was sure the other man didn’t like them, but Keith adored them. 

 

The elder climbed into bed, and Keith immediately snuggled up to his boyfriend, kissing a scar that ran along his collarbone. “Goodnight, Shiro,” He mumbled, already tired. Shiro hummed, and soon, they were falling asleep, wrapped up in each others warmth and covered by a dark blanket.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm super sorry that I haven't updated any of my other fics; I'm working on them but I can never write enough to be able to finish a chapter? If you have any ideas for this fic, or any other fics, hmu!! I love talking to people <3


	5. Mister Meet the Pack Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so so late im so sorry. I could push out excuses, but in reality it was just me being busy as hell and just pushing writing aside. 
> 
> I'm back though!! I hope everyone is doing well!!
> 
> Forgive any mistakes; this isn't beta'd
> 
> WARNING!!!!!  
> This chapter has minor homophobic slurs in it, please be aware!

The next morning, Keith continued his routine, the only difference was that Shiro actually got out of bed this time, making coffee for his boyfriend while he was in the shower. Keith’s chest felt all warm when he walked into the kitchen fully dressed and saw Shiro holding an already made mug of coffee for him. 

 

They shared a kiss before the shorter took his coffee, leaning against Shiro as he drank his coffee. “So,” He mumbled, sipping his coffee. “What’s the occasion? Yesterday you barely made it out of bed.”

 

Large arms wrapped around his waist and a face nuzzled into Keith’s neck. He definitely wanted something. “The pack wants us over for dinner tonight,” He murmured, bringing a frown to the younger’s face. 

 

“And you’ve known about this since…?”

 

“Tuesday,” Shiro mumbled, sounding a bit guilty. Keith didn’t give into the cuddles, remaining strong and sighing. Which, for the record, was incredibly difficult. 

 

“I wish I’d known about this sooner; I would’ve done some more laundry,” He shook his head. “Go get ready; you’ll have to hang out with ‘Rissa while I’m at work, I don’t want to drive all the way home to come get you.” Keith pulled away and leaned against the counter, drinking some more coffee. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shiro’s sad face and almost gave in, instead closing his eyes and drinking more of the warm, caffeinated drink. 

 

He heard the other walk out and some ruffling from their room, letting himself sigh again. He had to make sure that Shiro knew that he couldn’t just pout at Keith and get away with stuff; it was almost like training a puppy. He wasn’t too far off, honestly. After polishing off his coffee and another two minutes, the other man came into the kitchen, still sulking apparently. Keith felt a bit bad as he picked up the truck keys and lead his boyfriend out to the truck, hopping in and starting the older vehicle. 

 

Halfway through their quiet ride, Keith gave in, clearing his throat. “Don’t wait to tell me things,” He said softly, noticing that Shiro shrunk in a bit. Shit, it really felt like he was scolding a puppy. “Hey, lay down and let me pet you while I drive.”

 

The reaction was immediate, the sleepy wolf man unbuckling his seatbelt and laying across the seats, head in Keith’s lap. A pale hand combed through Shiro’s hair, though his eyes stayed on the road. “I’m not mad at you. I’m sorry for being…  _ Grumpy  _ about it. Just make sure that you  _ tell  _ me next time. Okay?”

 

He felt a nod against his thigh, and Keith let himself relax as they drove along with road, sighing as he pulled into the supermarket parking lot. He pet Shiro’s hair for a few more minutes before having him get up, giving him a few apology kisses. “Better?”

 

Shiro smiled, nodding. Keith flashed back a smile, kissing him one more time before hopping out and watching as his boyfriend did the same. They linked hands and walked over to Marissa’s shop quickly, opening the door and greeting a freshly woken woman.

 

“Oh!” She sat up a bit, blinking her tired eyes. “Keith, Takashi! Why are you here at such an hour; I’ve just barely opened!”

 

“Uh, we’re going to a friends house later, and its a bit of a hassle to drive back and get him, so I was thinking he could help you out here while I worked?” Keith asked, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand.

 

Marissa nods excitedly, moving from behind the counter. “Of course! Lemme get you some coffee hun, you man the counter while I make it. Get to work Keith; you’re gonna be late.” She scolded softly, going upstairs with a soft hum. Shiro kissed Keith for a brief moment, the two sharing a smile before parting. 

 

“I’ll come visit at lunch, okay?” Shiro nods, watching Keith leave before getting behind the counter.

 

\---- 

 

It was Thursday, and Thursday meant re-stock day. Keith  _ despised  _ re-stock day. Yeah, the store might’ve been smaller, and they might’ve had a decently sized crew. But holy  _ shit _ , the people in this town swarmed the store on this day. For some, they only bought fruits and breads, things that would normally go bad within a week or two. Keith got that, hell, he did his fruit shopping on re-stock days. But the  _ others  _ happened to find it necessary to buy half the store and complain at the workers when they were taking awhile to restock. 

 

The reason for the wait was because, well, nearly  _ everyone  _ was on registers or bagging because of the amount of people, so it was usually Keith and one of the other members putting nearly  _ everything  _ away before lunch. It made his muscles ache from the amount of lifting he did, and often times made him sweat more than he’d liked. Currently, some lady was nagging him to unbox all of the paper towels so she could get  _ one fucking pack _ of the shit that  _ isn’t  _ off brand. He was currently putting away hair care products (at the request of a  _ different _ lady) and was very glad that he was patient enough to  _ not  _ yell at the lady. 

 

Finally,  _ finally _ , lunch came around and Keith tiredly clocked out for his hour long lunch, purchasing some mac and cheese from the bakery and grabbing two forks before leaving the store. He was tired and wished for a long nap and maybe his back massager.  _ Maybe Shiro will rub my back for me, _ he thought.  _ Boyfriends do that, right? _

 

Keith walked into Marissa’s store and nigh immediately saw Shiro at the register, rather awkwardly talking to some girls who should  _ definitely  _ be in school. They were probably trying to get at Shiro, if their pushed forward chests and counter-lean was anything to go by. The bell on the door had jingled when he entered, and when Shiro’s eyes landed on his boyfriend, Keith saw some extreme excitement and happiness going on there. Keith made his way behind the counter then hopped up like usual, sitting next to the girls who were leaned over it. 

 

Shiro stood from his seat and hugged Keith from his perch on the counter, nosing at his neck with a smile. The receiver laughed softly, putting the food down and hugging the other back a bit before gently prodding him away and opening their lunch. “I see you missed me. I brought some mac ‘n cheese for lunch, if you want some. I grabbed an extra fork, in case you did,” He rambled, opening the plastic container then rescuing his fork from it’s thin plastic jail. Speaking of plastic, the girls beside him  _ stared  _ at the two of them, seeming almost offended. 

 

Shiro hums at the offer and unwraps his own plastic fork, bringing the chair over to sit in front of Keith and start eating. Keith started eating too, giving the girls a sideways glance and raising an eyebrow. Swallowing his food, he asked, “Aren’t you three supposed to be in class right now?” 

 

One of the girls scoffed, standing up straighter. “I’m in  _ college _ . And they were sent here to grab some clothes for the fashion class,” She says confidently, keeping an eye on Shiro who was obviously ignoring them, one hand settled on Keith’s thigh as he ate. 

 

Keith kept his eyebrow raised. “Okay? Why are you still here?” 

 

“Well,” She started, brushing some of her naturally blonde hair back. “Shiro is new here, so I thought that I’d step in and teach him some stuff,” At the mention of his name, the man looked up, fork in his mouth. “Such a  _ handsome  _ guy shouldn’t be left out of the know.”

 

Possessiveness flared up somewhere in Keith’s chest, and he stuck his fork in the mac and cheese in order to settle his hand over the one on his thigh, interlacing their fingers loosely. “Trust me, he’s  _ ‘in the know’ _ . Can you guys go now? I’m on break and you’re  _ seriously  _ not helping with the headache I’ve been sporting for the last  _ hour. _ ” 

 

Girl number one scoffed. “No. We have to wait for Marissa to come back down; the fashion teach wants us to relay something.”

 

Keith sighed, looking down at Shiro who happened to be looking at him, giving him a gentle, worried look. “I’m fine,” He mumbled to the other, squeezing his hand before grabbing his fork and taking a bite.  _ Damn _ , their bakery  _ knew  _ how to make mac and cheese. The two ate in near silence; the three girls idly chatting amongst themselves. Once the empty container was placed aside along with their forks, Keith let himself slouch a bit, fingers intertwining with Shiro’s. “Will you give me a massage?” He mumbled, eyes closed. “It’s re-stock day and I’m  _ so  _ sore.”

 

He felt Shiro stand and he opened his eyes, smiling as he was just about eye to eye with his boyfriend. Damn Shiro’s height. A little kiss was pressed to Keith’s lips before Shiro agreed, helping him off of the counter and sitting him on the chair, backwards. The girls were still talking, apparently not paying attention to them as the taller man sat on his knees and rubbed his large hands over Keith’s back. His moan must’ve brought back their attention, blue and green eyes burning. “Your back is really tense,” Shiro mumbled off-handedly, working  _ magic _ over Keith’s back. 

 

The main blonde scoffed, and Keith could see her leaning on the counter. “Look at our sweet Shiro being nice to the local  _ fag _ .” Ah, yes, there it was. Most of this town was really nice, but there were some who just  _ loved  _ to pick on Keith. They only really did it one on one, they didn’t want to risk getting  _ caught  _ or anything. He felt Shiro stop moving as the girl continued. “You really shouldn’t bother with him, he’s an asshole anyways.” Now, Keith learned that getting sad over this brought him nothing but pain, so he stopped letting it bother him. But Shiro apparently, was  _ very  _ bothered.

 

Keith’s chair was spun around quickly, and soon he found his boyfriend’s lips on his. The kiss was short but deep, possessive almost. All three of the girls stiffened, inhaling audibly. Shiro parted, eyeing the girls like they were garbage. “Keith is my  _ amazing  _ boyfriend, and if you cannot respect his sexuality then I will have to  _ kindly  _ ask you to leave.” Shiro’s voice was anything  _ but  _ kind, and it honestly made Keith a little smug if anything.  _ Thats right. Shiro’s mine.  _

 

After a minute of sputtering, the girls went to the back of the store, leaving the men alone. Shiro’s eyes went from steel to worry in point two seconds, looking over Keith’s face to try and read his emotions. “Are you okay?” Shiro asked softly, cupping one of Keith’s cheeks. 

 

Keith leaned into the hand, smiling brightly. “I’m fine. I don’t let that bother me anymore, but thank you for standing up for me, f-for us,” He said with a blush. A few more kisses were exchanged, the two smiling. 

 

“Anything for you,” Shiro mumbled against his lips, before pulling away and turning Keith back around, using his absolutely  _ magic  _ hands on his back again.

 

\---

 

Too soon, Keith had to go back to work. He shared a few kisses with Shiro then left, smirking at the disgusted admiration on the girl’s faces. He was way less sore thanks to that  _ amazing  _ massage, but the soreness returned as soon as he started re-stocking again. This time, he was putting away all of the freshly sent eggs, which if you didn’t know, was  _ extremely  _ tedious. Unpacking, stacking, repeat  _ without  _ breaking any of them. If you add some nagging mothers and a whiny child to the mix, it was definitely a surprise that Keith kept his patience. 

 

Before his shift ended, he stopped by their meat department and asked them to cook up about ten steaks, wincing at the price but confirming that he’d pay. He wanted to help feed a pack of werewolves, and Shiro seemed to like steak enough. Keith worked as a cashier for the remainder of his time, pretending to be interested in each customer’s life. As soon as he could clock out he did, grabbing the cooked steaks and moving to the front of the store to pay for them. Once that was done, he slouched and made his way to his truck, glad to find Shiro already there. The werewolf took a few steps forward and took the bag from Keith, kissing him lightly. Man, that man just  _ loved  _ to kiss him. Not that Keith was complaining.

 

Keith hopped into the truck, tiredly starting it as Shiro buckled up and shifted to face him, smiling. “How was work? Anything eventful? Oh, and are these steaks for the party?” If Keith were less tired, he probably would have laughed at Shiro’s excitement, but right now he just felt slightly annoyed. 

 

“Work was long. Nothing special happened, I’m just really tired and sore. And yes, they’re for the party,” He said softly, noticing Shiro’s soft frown. His irritableness must’ve shone through. “Where am I going?” 

 

“Ah, just head the opposite way of your house, and there's a dirt road that leads up to their cabin…” He mumbled. “Are you alright?” Shiro’s hand rested on Keith’s thigh as he drove, and the driver of the vehicle sighed and let himself relax a bit. It was obvious that the other was worried, even though he didn’t actually  _ need  _ to be. 

 

“I’m fine,” Keith mumbled, moving one hand down to intertwine their fingers. “Just tired. I’ll feel better when we get there.” The rest of the ride there was quiet, Keith easily finding the dirt road and turning onto it. The road was bumpy, as expected, so he separated their hands so he could grip the steering wheel as his truck went over rocks and dips in the road. Soon, the forest opened up to a dirt area, the  _ huge  _ cabin sitting just beyond it. 

 

Keith pulled up next to a van and turned off his truck with a sigh. He took off his work hat and dug around in his pocket for a hair tie, finding one and pulling his hair up. Undoing his seatbelt, he felt Shiro’s eyes on him as he shed his work shirt, leaving him in a plain black wifebeater. Man, there has  _ got  _ to be a better name for that. 

 

After a minute, Keith cleared his throat, gesturing to the house. “Ready?” 

 

Shiro looked unsure for a moment before nodding, leaning over and pecking his cheek before hopping out of the truck with the steaks, meeting Keith as he walked to the front of the truck. Shiro placed a hand on Keith’s hip as they walked to the front door, drawing the shorter closer as a dark skinned woman opened the door, smiling brightly at the two of them. 

 

“Shiro, Keith! Welcome, welcome. Most of the boys are out right now, but you can come in while they make their way back,” She said, brushing her dyed-white hair behind one pierced ear. As they walked in, Keith idly wondered where her earring went when she shifted then was jolted out of his thoughts as a  _ huge  _ guy around his age walked into the living room, causing Shiro to pull the only human in the room  _ much  _ closer. Sure, the new guy looked dangerous, but there was no reason for Shiro to be nervous or possessive. Right?

 

Keith, and by extension Shiro, followed the woman into the kitchen, giving a small wave to the new guy. “Oh! I brought some steaks from work; I didn’t know if you wanted me to bring anything because I  _ just  _ found out this morning,” He glanced at Shiro, who was pointedly looking away. “But yeah. Shiro, hand her the food.” Obediently, the man handed her the bag containing the absolutely  _ heavenly  _ smelling steak. 

 

The woman grinned at Keith, taking the food from Shiro’s hand. “Thank you Keith! Oh, I’m Allura, I don’t know if I’ve formally introduced myself. I am the pack Alpha, or rather, the leader, if you will. I know you’ve met Lance, and that over there is Hunk,” She pointed at the big guy, waving him over. Shiro moved closer to Keith, pressing himself against the shorter as Hunk came over with a large smile. 

 

“Hey! I’m Hunk. Nice to meet you,” He spoke, hand moving to shake Keith’s. Shiro stiffened and pressed his nose into his boyfriend’s neck in a show of possession. Keith just rolled his eyes and shook the other’s hand, ignoring the un-happy noise that Shiro gave.

 

Hunk and Allura’s heads snapped to attention when they heard that, sharing uncertain looks. “Ah, Keith,” The woman spoke, folding her hands in front of herself. “You may not want to do that.”

 

“Do what?” He said with a confused look. 

 

“Touch other werewolves. You're not claimed yet, and Shiro seems quite…  _ Attached.  _ He…” She huffed softly. “This is so hard to explain to outsiders. His instincts are telling him to defend what's his, since you don’t have a mark to tell others off.” 

 

Keith blushed darkly at this, feeling the red spread to his ears and chest when his boyfriend nosed at his jaw. “Werewolves are fuckin’ weird,” Keith mumbled. 

 

Allura laughs softly and nods, then a slightly worried expression crosses her face. “You might not want Lance to get near-”

 

Speak of the goddamn devil, Lance waltzes through the front door while talking loudly with another pack member. Conversation stops when the beta notices Keith’s presence, practically skipping over. “Keith! Hey!” He says with a grin that quickly turns into a fearful twist. Shiro had moved from behind Keith to in front of him, growling at Lance. Everyone present froze at the sound, Lance immediately going into a cowered slouch at the Alpha’s growl. 

 

Keith, noticing the thick tension, ran a hand up Shiro’s back in comfort. The man turned with another growl that stopped as soon as he saw Keith’s  _ terrified  _ eyes. Of course he was scared; he hadn’t seen this man’s full potential yet and really hoped that he would never get the chance. Swallowing his fear, he ran his hand up Shiro’s bad arm, across his shoulders, and up to run a hand through the thick locks even though he had to stand on his toes for that. “Calm down,” He murmured. “I’m right here, nothing’s wrong.”

 

After a moment, Shiro relaxed and moved downwards, face nuzzling into Keith’s shoulder. Keith waved Lance away, who nearly sprinted into the hallway, Hunk hot on his trail. “Allura?” He murmured, rubbing at Shiro’s back. “Is there an extra room Shiro and I can use to talk?” The woman nodded, giving him quiet directions to an upstairs room. Slowly, oh so slowly, he parted from Shiro to turn around, leading the wolf upstairs and into the assigned room. 

 

Once the door was shut, Shiro let out a huff and pulled Keith to his chest, nose right under his jaw and taking a deep breath. Keith, of course, let him do so, wanting the man to relax some more. After a few minutes, Keith mumbled, “Are you good now?” A nod came from the other, and Keith pulled away, letting out a shaky breath and rubbing his arms. Shiro, finally back to himself, looked regretful as he watched Keith. 

 

“I- I’m sorry, I don’t… I don’t know what came over me,” He started, rubbing nervously at a scar. Keith didn’t let him finish. 

 

“N- No Takashi, you’re fine. That’s- That’s  _ instinct _ for you, it’s alright.” Keith didn’t really look alright though, the anger that had been turned on him earlier burning a hole in his memory. 

 

“No, Keith, I… I almost  _ hurt  _ you,” Shiro whimpered. Wow, this man got emotional  _ fast.  _ Keith was quick to pull him into a hug, arms wrapping around his waist holding him close..strong arms encircled him and he could feel the other relaxing nigh immediately. 

 

“It’s not your fault,” Keith mumbled against the other’s chest. “We can talk more about it later, alright? Everyone is waiting for us downstairs.” He leaned up, meeting Takashi’s lips a few times, the taller relaxing further under his fingers. After Shiro was calmed, Keith joined one of their hands and led them into the hall and downstairs, where Allura and quite a few pack members were standing around in the kitchen and livingroom; Lance and Hunk were still absent. The woman clapped her hands together upon seeing the two join the group, smiling brightly. 

 

“Now that everyone’s here, why don’t you all meet our newest pack member!” Shiro only moved slightly closer to Keith, but it was obvious that he was still being overly protective; Keith was unsure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Soon, pack members were surrounding them, smiling and introducing themselves, some making confused faces but not offering any explanations. How curious. 

 

Most of the night passed Keith in a blur, honestly. He remembered seeing Hunk and Lance come back in, though sat far away from Shiro on the other end of the large sectional. They ate dinner (the steak was  _ amazing _ , he’d have to notify the meat department of all the praise they received for it), and afterwards Shiro pulled Keith into his lap, where Keith made himself comfy and only half paid attention to the surrounding conversations- none of it really pertained to him anyways, it was all Shiro this and Shiro that, so honestly he didn’t care; he was tired as hell, and all of this socializing was  _ exhausting _ . 

 

Finally,  _ finally,  _ Allura noticed Keith’s tiredness and got them to leave, shooing them out like a mom would her children after she splashed Keith with some cold water. Freshly awoken, Keith unlocked his truck and opened the driver’s side door, sighing as he buckled himself in and just looked at the house in front of them.  _ What was he getting himself into? _ His boyfriend was not only a fucking  _ werewolf _ , but now said boyfriend was apart of a whole  _ pack  _ of them, and Keith himself was apparently a part of said pack by association. When had his life become so… tv show-esque? Maybe when he’d been orphaned? Is that what caused this huge jumbled knot that was his life? 

 

Keith was grabbed out of his thoughts when Shiro nudged him with his good hand, soft and worried eyes looking at him. “Are you feeling alright?”

 

Keith looked away with a soft smile, starting up the truck and shifting it into reverse. “I’m alright,” He replied, voice quiet. “Just tired.” Ah yes, the whole ‘just tired’ act; Keith was quite an expert at that. That kind of skill comes with teenage angst and constantly switching from foster home to foster home. In short, it doesn’t come easily. Or does. He was getting older, maybe when you aged your ‘just tired’ skills got rusty. 

 

Why was he thinking about this again? Oh, right, to ignore the somewhat longing look Shiro gave him. Why was Shiro so good at making him want to talk about everything? Keith’s trying to cling to his leftover teenage angst, damnit.

 

The drive home was long and quiet, Shiro’s hand had found one of his after the off-road part of the trip was complete. The familiar weight was comforting, grounding. Despite the thoughts jumping through hoops in his head, Keith felt strangely… Calm. The feeling was odd; usually after something so emotionally draining, he was restless. Getting home quick and just doing mundane things until he was tired enough to sleep. Crying wasn’t his thing, honestly, especially when he was overwhelmed; his body just wanted to do  _ stuff.  _ But with Shiro’s large and calloused hand holding his own, he  _ wanted  _ to cry,  _ wanted  _ to sit and do nothing, preferably with the other at his side. 

 

As he pulled into his driveway, Keith wondered when car trips got so… Soul discovering. As the two stripped and settled into bed, cuddled up together, Keith realized something. 

 

Despite how everything around him was changing, it all felt oddly right. It was odd to think like that; growing up in a constantly changing environment made him closed off and hostile, and he definitely hated it. Keith had never liked change because of that, he liked to have his surroundings be a constant so he wouldn’t have to have that constant worry, the constant questioning if something went wrong, if everything was going to be okay. But now, with Shiro becoming one of those constants, Keith felt like he could deal with change much easier now. Maybe change was good for him.

 

Maybe change was just what he needed. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for those who have stuck with me and have supported me during this fic! I honestly wrote it at first just to get it out of my system, then suddenly people liked it???
> 
> This chapter isn't as long as I wanted to have it, but I shortened it to work on my other fics! Hopefully I'll be able to start cranking out chapters soon, I know a lot of people are waiting for updates on my other fics!!
> 
> Thank you again! Hmu @zaynewrites on twitter if you want to talk or brainstorm with me!! Don't be shy :D

**Author's Note:**

> Hmu @zaynewrites on twitter (beware: there be nsfw stuff on there) or @zaynedere on instagram if you prefer that! Constructive criticism is always welcome!


End file.
